.^.-^<^^' 


♦0 


U 


•■  >  '      '^    1315  ^ 


77/V 


4^- 


THE 


WORKS 


OP 


WILLIAM  i)ELL, 


MINISTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


MASTER  OF  GOISTVIL  AND  CAIUS 

COLLEGE^ 

IN  CAMBRIDGE. 


NINE-PARTNERS: 

State  of  JVew  York. 
PUBLISHED  BY  JOSEPH  SHARPLESS. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


WE  doubt  not  it  would  be  acceptable 
to  the  reader,  to  receive  some  informa- 
tion concerning  the  Author  of  these  en- 
suing excellent  treatises  ;  but  as  very 
little  is  met  with  to  assist  us  in  this  re- 
spect, we  must  be  contented  with  saying, 
that  though  the  transactions  of  his  life 
are  in  a  great  measure  unknown  to  us, 
his  writings  are  a  monument  to  his 
praise,  which  shew  the  good  under- 
standing he  had  received  in  the  weigh- 
ty concerns  of  life  and  salvation. 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2011  witii  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/worksofwilliamdeOOdell 


CONTENTS. 


CHRIST'S  Spirit,  a  Christian's  Strength  :  or,  a 
discovery  of  the  power  that  all  believers  receive 
through  the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  &c.  17 


Uniformity  Examined,  whether  it  be  found  in 
the  Gospel,  or  in  the  practice  of  the  Churches 
of  Christ.  65 


The  Building,  Beauty,  Teaching,  and  establish- 
ment, of  the  truly  Christian  and  spiritual 
Church.  79 


Right  Reformation ;  or,  the  reformation  of  the 
Church  of  the  New  Testament.  H5 


VI  CONTENTS. 

PAQE. 

The  Way  of  True  Peace  and  Unity  in  the  true 

Church  of  Christ.  153 

The  Crucified  and  Quickened  Christian.  281 


The  Stumbling-stone  ;  or,  a  discovery  of  the  of- 
fence which  the  world  takes  against  Christ 
himself,  his  true  word,  true  worship,  his  true 
Church,  his  true  government,  his  true  minis- 
try. Wherein  the  University  is  reproved  by 
the  Word  of  God.  325 


The  Doctrine  of  Baptisms,  reduced  from  its  an- 
cient and  modern  corruptions :  and  restored  to 
its  primitive  soundness  and  integrity  ;  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  truth,  the  substance  of 
faith,  and  the  nature  of  Christ's  kingdom.  383 


The  Trial  of  Spirits,  both  in  teachers  and  Hear- 
ers ;  wherein  is  held  forth,  the  clear  discovery, 
and  certain  downfall,  of  the  carnal  and  anti- 
christian  Clergy  of  these  Nations.     >v  419 


A  Plain  and  Necessary  Confutation  of  divers 
gross  and  antichristian  errors,  delivered  to  the 
University  Congregation.  495 


CONTENTS.  VII 

A  Testimony  against  Divinity-degrees  in  the  Uni- 
versities. 560 

The   Ri,s[ht  Reformation   of  Learning,   Schools 

and  Universities,  according  to  the  state  of  the 
Gospel.  586 


CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

A 

CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH, 

on  A  PLAIN  DISCOVERY  OF  THE  MIGHTV  AND  INVINCIBLE 

POWER  THAT  ALL  BELIEVERS  RECEIVE  THROUGH 

THE  GIFT  OF  THE  SPIRIT. 

FIRST  HELD  FORTH  IN  TWO  SERMONS 

On  Acts  i.  8. 

AND  AFTER  PUBLISHED  FOR  THE  INSTRUCTION  AND  USE  OP 
THOSE  THAT  ARE  SPIRITUAL,  ANNO  1645. 


BY  W  ILLIAM  DELL, 

Minister  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  at  Yelden,  in  the  county  of  Bedford. 


1  CoR.  iv.  19,  20. 

I  will  come  to  you  shortly,  if  the  Lord  ivill,  and  will  know,  not  the 

speech  of  them  that  are  puffed  tip,  but  the  power. 

For  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  ivord,  but  in  power. 

2  Tim.  iii.  5. 

Having  a  form  of  Godliness,  but  denying  the  power  of  it ;  from 

such  turn  away. 


B 


RIGHT  HONOURABLE 

THE 

LADY  ELIZABETH, 

-    COUjYTESS  of  JiULLIJ\'BROOK. 

Right  Honourable, 

THE  form  of  godliness  is  very  common  in  these  days 
of  ours ;  but  the  power  of  it  is  very  rare.  How  few 
persons  shall  we  find  in  the  visible  church,  who  live 
and  act  in  the  strength  of  God  ?  But  generally,  men  do 
whatever  they  do  in  their  own  strength  ;  and  that  not  only 
in  human  things,  but  in  divine.  How  seldom  do  we  see, 
either  in  ministers  or  Christians,  in  the  discharge  of  their 
duties  in  their  several  places,  more  than  the  power  of 
men  ?  The  greatest  part  by  far,  not  only  of  those  who 
are  called  Christians,  but  also  of  forward  professors,  be- 
ing ignorant,  what  it  is  to  be  strengthened  with  might  in  the 
inner  ?nan,  according  to  the  glorious  power  of  the  great  God. 
How  little  is  there,  among  all  our  plenty,  of  that  preach- 
ing which  is  not  in  the  plausible  words  of  man's  wisdom, 
but  in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit ,  and  power?  How  few 
congregations,  among  the  many  that  are  in  the  kingdom, 
are  gathered  together  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  ?  How  few  of  those  Christians  are  there,  in 
whom  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  God^s poxver^  together 
with  the  effectual  ^vorking  of  it  ?     But  the  form  ofgodli- 


12  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORV. 

ness  is  now  become  almost  the  covering  ofalljlesh ;  and  in 
these  days  of  light  and  knowledge,  it  is  accounted  by  all, 
that  are  not  downright  atheists,  a  great  shame  not  to  seem 
to  be  religious.  And  when  men,  and  families,  and  con- 
gregations, are  gotten  into  this  fornix  they  think  them- 
selves both  safe  and  happy,  as  being  near  the  suburbs  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  close  neighbours  to  the  saints. 
And  this  form  of  godliness,  as  it  is  of  very  easy  compli- 
ance with  flesh  and  blood,  in  this  particular,  in  that  ac- 
cording to  this,  men  only  make  their  actions  new,  retain- 
ing still  their  old  natures  ;  so  it  is  also  of  great  credit  and 
esteem  with  carnal  gospellers.  But  the  spiritual  man  judg- 
eth  all  things^  and  yet  he  himself  is  judged  of  no  man:  and  he, 
being  partaker  of  the  power  of  God  himself,  can  in  some 
measure  discern,  both  the  presence  and  the  want  of  it  in 
others ;  both  which  he  knows  in  his  own  experience. 

Now  this  formjof  godliness  is,  when  men  are  godly  with- 
out God,  and  anointed  without  Christ,  and  regenerate,  not 
having  the  Spirit ;  that  is,  when  they  have  a  semblance  of 
holiness,  but  not  the  thing  itself:  a  semblance  of  grace, 
retaining  their  old  natures.  And  such  Christians  as  these 
perform  spiritual  duties  with  natural  strength,  heavenly 
duties  M'ith  earthly  strength,  the  \\orks  of  God  with  the 
power  of  men.  In  the  religion  of  these  men,  there  is  the 
outward  duty  done,  and  it  may  be,  very  speciously  and 
plausibly,  but  there  is  none  of  Christ  nor  the  Spirit  in  the 
duty.  There  is  their  own  working  towards  God,  \\'inch 
is  faint  and  faithless,  and  not  God's  own  working  in  lliem 
towards  himself,  which  is  lively  and  mighty.  And  all  the 
religious  acts  they  do  are  only  their  own  operations,  and 
not  the  operations  of  God  in  them. 

This  form  of  godliness,  how  pleasing  soever  it  be  to  a 
man's  self,  and  of  what  reckoning  soever  with  others  \\\\o 
are  like  himself,  yet  is  indeed  of  very  evil  and  woful  con- 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY.  IS 

sequence  ;  whether  we  regard  the  doings  or  sufferings  unto 
which  this  ibrm  necessarily  engages. 

For  first,  when  men,  by  occasion  of  this  form,  are  called 
forth  to  do  the  great  works  of  God,  and  }et  are  destitute 
of  the  power  of  God,  their  duties  are  above  their  strength, 
and  their  strength  bears  no  proportion  to  their  duties. 
And  so,  sooner  or  later,  meeting  with  difficulties,  they  faint, 
and  languish  as  a  snail,  their  works  being  too  high  for 
their  faculties.  For  nature  being  strained  above  its  power, 
and  offering  at  thiit  which  is  beyond  its  abilities,  by  de- 
grees grows  weary,  and  returns  to  its  old  temper  again ; 
and  he  which  sought  that  glory  which  was  not  his  own,  at 
last  lies  down  in  his  own  shame. 

Again  ;  the  form  of  godliness  exposes  a  man  to  those  evils 
that  are  incident  to  the  faithful  because  of  godliness . 
Now  when  a  man  hath  the  same  evils  with  the  faithful, 
and  not  the  same  power  to  support  him  under  those  e\'ils ; 
M  hen  men  have  the  same  evils  in  the  ilesh,  but  not  the  same 
power  in  the  Spirit ;  the  same  burdens  on  their  shoulders, 
but  not  the  same  everlasting  arms  underneath  them ;  they 
fall  sadly  and  desperately,  lo  the  great  scandal  of  th.e  \\<xys 
of  God. 

However,  if  men  be  not  called  forth  to  such  eminent 
doings  and  sufferings,  and  so  escape  such  manifest  disco- 
veries and  downfalls ;  yet  the  form  of  godliness  hath  this 
evil  in  it,  that  it  brings  a  man  only  to  the  troublesome  part 
of  religion,  but  not  to  the  comfortable  ;  it  engages  a  man 
in  the  same  duties  with  the  godly,  but  supplies  him  not 
with  the  same  strength  ;  it  involves  him  in  the  same  bitter- 
ness of  flesh,  but  doth  not  furnish  him  with  the  same  joy 
of  spirit.  For  as  such  a  man's  religion  doth  not  reacli 
above  flesh  and  blood,  no  more  doth  his  strength  and  com- 
forts. And  so  he  performs  duties  at  a  low  rate  ;  yea,  and 
his  bare  and  empty  form  casts  a  black  veil  upon  religion, 
and  utterly  obscures  its  beauty  and  glory,  and  makes  the 


14  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 

world  judge  meanly  of  it,  and  to  think  it  a  matter  only 
of  singularity  and  humour,  and  not  of  power.  Whereas, 
when  a  Christian  walks  in  the  strength  of  the  Spirit,  doing 
and  suffering  the  will  of  God,  beyond  all  strength  and 
abilities  of  flesh  and  blood,  the  world  oftentimes  wonders 
and  gazes  at  him,  and  many  are  provoked  to  "  glorify  God, 
who  hath  given  such  power  to  men." 

For  this  power  of  godliness^  among  other  things,  hath 
these  three  advantages  :  (1.)  It  makes  a  man  do  every  duty 
strongly  and  mightil}'.  And  whatever  might  take  a  man 
off  from  duty,  or  distract  and  disturb  him  in  it,  all  falls 
to  nothing  before  this  power.  There  is  that  strength  in 
each  duty,  performed  by  the  power  of  the  anointing,  which 
declares  it  to  be  the  operation  of  God  himself  in  man,  and 
nothing  else  but  the  very  power  of  God,  that  is,  Jesus 
Christ  himself,  in  action  in  us. 

(2.)  It  makes  a  man  inflexible  in  the  ways  of  God,  that 
he  shall  neither  turn  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left, 
but  take  straight  steps  towards  the  mark  set  before  him. 
No  fears,  nor  favours,  nor  frowns,  nor  flatteries,  nor  temp- 
tations, nor  insinuations,  nor  designs  of  others,  nor  ends  of 
his  own,  can  turn  him  aside.  He  carries  such  strength  in 
his  spirit,  as  he  can  never  be  bended  ;  and  so  far  forth  as 
he  partakes  ot  the  power  of  God,  he  is  as  unmoveable  and 
unchano'eable  as  God  himself. 

(3.)  It  makes  a  man  invincible  by  all  evils  and  ene- 
mies :  because  all  the  power  against  him  is  but  the  power 
of  the  creature,  but  the  power  in  him  is  the  power  of  God. 
And  the  power  of  God  easily  overcomes  the  mightiest  pow- 
er of  the  creature,  but  is  never  overcome  by  it.  And  if  this 
power  in  a  Christian  should  be  prevailed  against,  God  him- 
self, who  is  that  power,  should  be  conquered ;  which  is 
impossii>lc. 

To  conclude  :  \\\c  power  of  godl'mess  is  the  doer  of  every 
duty  in  God's  kingdom,  the  siibduer  of  every  jiin,  the 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY.  15 

conqueror  of  each  tribulation  and  temptation,  the  life  of 
every  performance,  the  glory  of  each  grace,  the  beauty  of 
a  Christian's  life,  the  stability  of  his  conversation,  the  lus- 
tre of  his  religion,  his  great  honour  and  excellency,  l>oth 
in  doing  and  suffering ;  yea,  it  is  the  very  glory  of  God 
himself  in  the  church  of  God :  for  by  faith  tlie  Lord  ari- 
ses on  us,  and  by  this  power  of  godliness  his  glory  is  seen 
upon  us. 

These  considerations,  Right  Ho  k o u r  a  b l  e  ,  moved  rne 
to  discourse  of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  comiii,:^  ou 
all  Christians,  ministers,  and  people.  And  besides  the  im- 
portunity of  some  other  friends,  your  Honour's  earnest 
desires  of  these  notes  hath  especially  prevailed  u'ith  me  to 
publish  them.  Not  that  I  am  worthy  to  publish  any  thing, 
but  that  the  trutli  of  God  is  worthy  to  be  published,  l^e  the 
instrument  never  so  mean  and  unworthy.  And  although 
I  well  know  the  doubtful  success  of  such  undertakings  as 
these,  yet  in  this  matter  I  am  not  at  all  careful ;  being  most 
willing  to  be  bound  up  in  one  condition  with  the  truth  of 
God,  and  to  have  with  it  tl:ie  same  common  friends  and 
enemies.  Besides,  if  Christ  dwell  in  my  heart  byfaith^  I 
carry  in  my  bosom  already  my  reward  ;  out  of  whom,  I 
neither  regard  praise  or  dispraise,  good  or  evil. 

Now  I  was  bold  to  prefix  your  Honour's  name  to  tltese 
notes,  because  your  desire  of  them  hath  made  them  yours; 
and  also  your  many  noble  favours  are  a  strong  and  contin- 
ual engagement  for  me  to  serve  you,  according  to  \\hat  God 
hath  made  me.  Especially,  I  remember  your  extraordina- 
ry compassion  and  bowels  towards  me  in  the  day  of  my 
deepest  distress,  when  my  soul  drew  near  to  the  pit,  and 
the  shadow  of  death  sat  upon  my  eyelids,  and  I  had  not 
the  least  drop  of  comfort,  either  from  earth  or  heaven  : 
Your  Honour  then  shewed  me  the  kindness  of  the  Lord, 
and  encompassed  me  both  with  your  pity  and  goodness, 
tliough  then,  through  bitterness  of  spirit,  I  tasted  it  not. 


la  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 

Wherefore,  when  I  remember  the  wonderful  goodness  ot 
God  to  me,  after  so  great  sorrow  and  darkness,  I  cannot  for- 
get that  part  of  his  goodness,  which  he  was  pleased  to  admi- 
nister to  me  by  your  Honour's  hands:  and  the  remem- 
brance of  this,  causes  me  to  pray  that  God  would  double 
the  same  goodness  on  you  ;  and  that  he  would  pour  forth 
upon  MY  Lord,  your  Honour,  your  noble  offspring  and 
family,  this  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  here  treated  of; 
which  shall  render  you  a  thousand  times  more  precious 
and  excellent  before  God  and  his  saints,  than  all  worldly 
honour  and  nobility  whatsoever.  And  by  this  means  shall 
religion  shine  in  your  family  in  its  native  beauty  and  lus- 
tre ;  and  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  stands  iiot  i?i  tuord^ 
but  ill  power,  shall  appear  in  its  bright  glory  among  you, 
till  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  first  fit  you,  and  then  deliver 
you  up  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Father,  and  God  be  all  in  all 
immediately. 

Which  is  the  earnest  prayer  of 
Your  most  humble  and  faithful  Servant, 

WILLIAM  DELL. 


<4ir 


CHRIST'S  SPIRIT         ^ 

A 

CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH^ 

OR 

A  PLAIN  DISCOVERY  OF  THE  MIGHTY  AND  INVINCIBLE  POWER 
THAT  ALL  BELIEVERS  RECEIVE  THROUGH  THE 

GIFT  OF  THE  SPIRIT, 

ACTS  I.  8. 

Bid  ye  shall  receive  power»  when  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  vpon  you  ; 
and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me,  Sfc,  Or,  Fou  shall  receive  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  coming  upon  you. 

THESE  words  are  the  more  remarkable,  because 
they  are  the  very  last  words  in  the  conference  betv/een  the 
Son  of  God  and  his  beloved  apostles,  immediately  before 
his  ascension  into  heaven.  Now,  you  know,  when  dear 
and  intimate  friends  are  to  part,  as  their  love  then  runs 
strongest,  and  their  affections  are  most  intire  and  ve- 
hement ;  so  then  also  they  especially  discourse  of  those 
things  wherein  most  of  all  they  desire  to  be  satisfied  and 
resolved.  Thus  was  it  between  Christ  and  his  apostles : 
never  was  there  such  dear  and  intimate  friendship,  and 
such  sincere  and  burning  love,  between  any,  as  between 
them.  The  apostles,  all  of  them,  loved  Christ  most 
truly  and  passionately ;  and  Peter y  who  had  three  times 
denied  him,  three  times  professed  his  love  to  him;  and  be- 
ing sorry  that  Christ  should  question  his  love  the  third  time, 

he  thus  answered ;  Lord^  thou  hjowest  all  things ;  thou 

C 


18  *^   CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

law-west  that  I  love  thee  {a).  And  Christ  also  loved  them 
dearly  ;  yea,  he  loved  them  first ;  and  having  loved  his  oiv?t, 
he  loved  them  unto  the  end  {Jy) :  and  so  he  was  not  discon- 
tented with  them  for  their  leaving  and  forsaking  him, 
through  human  infirmity,  when  he  was  led  away  to  judg- 
ment, and  to  death.  For  thoiiQ^h  death  quite  puts  out  all 
natural  love,  yet  spiritual  love  is  not  extinguished,  but  en- 
larged by  death.  Now  when  such  loving  friends  as  these 
were  even  now  ready  to  take  their  last  leave  of  one  another, 
in  regard  of  bodily  presence,  who  would  not  most  willing- 
ly have  been  present,  to  have  heard  what  discourse  passed 
between  Christ  and  his  disciples  at  this  their  last  parting  ? 
Now  Luke  acquaints  us  uith  the  whole  sum  and  sub- 
stance of  Christ's  discourse  with  his  apostles,  all  the  time 
he  lived  together  with  them  after  his  resurrection,  till  the 
day  wherein  he  ascended  into  Jieaven.  In  the  third  verse 
of  this  chapter,  he  saith,  he  did  discourse  with  them  touching 
the  kingdom  of  God :  that  is,  not  only  touching  his  spiritual 
kingdom,  which  he  sets  up  in  each  particular  Christian, 
and  which  begins  at  our  regeneration,  and  is  consummat- 
ed in  glorification ;  but  also  touching  his  mediatory  and 
monarchical  kingdom,  which,  in  the  time  appointed  of  his 
Father,  he  should  set  up  in  the  world ;  when  he  should 
have  the  heathen  for  his  inheritance^  and  the  utmost  ends  of 
the  earth  for  his  possession  [c) ;  and  all  people^  andnations^ 
and  languages^  should  serve  him  {d) ;  and  he  should  reign 
from  sea  to  sea^  and  from  the  river  to  the  world's  end  [e). 
This  was  the  sum  of  Christ's  discourse  with  them.  And 
the  apostles  were  fully  satisfied  touching  the  thing,  only 
they  were  unsatisfied  touching  the  time.  For  besides  that 
the  setting  up  this  kingdom  of  the  Messias,  in  the  power, 
beauty  and  glory  of  it,  was  at  that  time  the  "common  dis- 
course and  expectation  of  all  Israel ;  the  apostles  them- 

(ti)  John  Iv.  19.  (i)  John  xHi.  1. 

(c)  Psalm  ij.  8.  {d)  Dan.  vii.  14.  (?)  Psalm  Ixxii.  8. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  19 

selves  remembered  many  prophecies  and  promises  of  the 
Old  Testament,  for  the  restoring  the  kingdom  of  David. 
And  this  they  thought  Christ  would  have  done  in  the  days 
of  his  flesh  ;  but  presently  all  their  hopes  were  blasted  by 
his  death.  But  when  they  saw  him  risen  again  from  the 
dead,  then  presently  their  hearts  were  revived  into  their 
former  hopes  ;  but  yet  again,  seeing  nothing  done  all  the 
time  he  conversed  with  them  after  the  resurrection,  when 
he  was  now  ready  to  ascend  into  heaven,  they  desire  him, 
first  to  resolve  them  of  this  question,  Whether  he  would 
at  that  time  restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel :  Lord^  say  they, 
TFilt  thou  at  this  time  restore  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel? 
Now  Christ  doth  not  deny  the  restoring  of  the  kingdom  to 
Israel,  but  denies  to  acquaint  them  with  the  time  when  it 
should  be  done  :  he  tells  them,  It  was  not  for  them  to  know 
the  times  and  seasons^  which  the  Father  had  put  in  his  own 
.power,  verse  7. 

The  like  answer  to  the  like  demand  Daniel  received  in 
his  time.  For  when  the  angel  had  represented  to  Daniel 
the  total  destruction  of  the  image  of  worldly  monarch}', 
together  with  the  rise,  and  reign,  and  ruin  of  Antichrist, 
and  the  setting  up  of  Christ's  kingdom  in  the  world,  in  the 
stead  of  the  two  former  ;  Daniel  said,  Chap.  xii.  8.  And  I 
heard,  but  I  understood  not :  Then  said  /,  0,  my  Lord, 
what  shall  he  the  end  of  these  things  ?  And  he  said.  Go  thy 
rvay,  Daniel,  for  the  words  are  closed  up,  and  sealed  till  the 
time  of  the  end.  So  that  the  angel,  who  discovered  the  things 
themselves  to  Daniel,  refused  to  discover  to  him  plainly  and 
expressly  the  time  when  they  should  be  done  ;  but  that  \vas 
to  be  closed  and  sealed  up  till  the  time  of  the  end.  And 
so  here,  in  like  manner,  Christ,  who  had  discoursed  largely 
and  clearly  to  the  disciples,  touching  the  kingdom  of  God, 
yet  denies  to  discover  to  them  the  time  when  it  should  be 
set  up  in  the  world.  And  the  reason  why  he  denied  this 
to  them,  to  whom  he  had  not  denied  himself,  was  not  for 


20  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

want  of  love ;  but  because  the  Father  had  kept  the  time  and 
season  wherein  all  this  should  be  done,  in  his  own  power. 
Had  this  been  placed  in  Christ's  power,  he  had,  no  doubt, 
made  it  known  to  them,  as  well  as  he  did  those  other 
things  which  he  had  heard  from  his  Father  ;  but  the  Fa- 
ther had  not  placed  this  in  his  Son's  power,  but  had  re- 
served it  in  his  own  :  and  the  apostles  were  not  to  pry  af- 
ter that  which  was  hidden  with  God,  but  were  to  content 
themselves  with  what  he  had  revealed. 

But  though  the  Son  did  not  reveal  to  them  what  the 
Father  had  kept  in  his  own  power,  yet  he  tells  them  what 
the  Father  had  promised  unto  them,  and  what  he  had  also 
put  into  his  power,  and  what  he  would  certainly  perform 
ere  long ;  and  that  was,  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  of  power,  say- 
ing, But  ye  shall  receive  power ,  -when  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
come  upon  yoii ;  and  you  shall  he  witnesses  to  me^  ^c.  As 
if  he  should  have  said,  "Do  not  you  trouble  yourselves 
about  secret  things,  which  shall  not  be  accomplished  in 
the  world  till  many  years  after  you  are  fallen  asleep ;  but 
do  you  mind  your  present  business,  wherein  you  are  to 
serve  God  in  your  generation ;  your  present  task  is  to  be 
witnesses  unto  me,  in  Jerusalem^  and  all  Judea,  and  in 
Samar'iay  and  to  the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth  :  to  declare 
and  make  known  what  you  have  heard,  and  seen  with 
your  eyes,  and  looked  upon,  and  your  hands  have  handled, 
of  the  7Vord  of  life.  You  are  to  testify  to  the  world,  my 
incarnation,  doctrine,  miracles,  life,  death,  resurrection, 
and  my  kingdom  and  glory  that  is  to  come.  You  are 
to  make  known  to  the  world,  the  high  and  deep,  the  great 
and  glorious  mystery  of  Christ,  and  of  the  gospel.  And 
that  you  may  be  fit  for  this  great  and  weighty  work,  you 
shall  receive  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  You  shall  re- 
ceive power ^  when  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you,^'  feV. 

Which  words  also  may  be  an  answer  to  another  question, 
which  the  disciples  did  or  might  make,  after  this  manner. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  21 

"  Our  dear  Lord  and  master,  why  wilt  thou  leave  us, 
thy  poor  disciples,  among  so  many  evils  and  enemies  in 
the  world,  which  our  weakness  must  of  necessity  sink  un- 
der ?  We  well  remember  how  fearful  and  foolish  we  have 
been  whilst  thou  wast  yet  with  us  ;  but  how  much  more 
timorous  and  trembhng  shall  n'e  be  when  thou  art  gone 
from  us  ?  When  thou  wast  apprehended  by  the  armed 
power  of  the  magistrates,  thou  knowest  how  we  all  for- 
sook thee  and  fled  :  And  I,  said  Peter^  denied  thee,  and 
forswore  thee,  at  the  voice  of  a  simple  maid :  and  there- 
fore, if  thou  now  quit^  leave  us,  what  witnesses  are  we 
like  to  be  unto  thee,  and  what  preachers  of  thy  name, 
jfgipng  the  obstinate  Jews,  among  the  angry  and  enraged 
rulers  and  people ;  who  will  be  ready,  for  thy  name's  sake, 
every  day  to  deliver  us  up  to  a  new  death  ?  And  how  shall 
we  be  able  to  stand  amidst  so  many  difficulties,  troubles, 
.distresses,  oppositions  and  persecutions,  when  thou  hast 
left  us  ?  Surely,  we  are  such  weak  and  infirm  creatures, 
that  we  shall  never  be  able  to  hold  out,  but  shall  lie  down 
both  in  shame  and  sorrow." 

To  this  Christ  answers  in  these  words  ;  You  shall  re- 
ceive the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  coining  upon  you.  As  if 
he  should  have  said,  "  You  have  a  hard  task  indeed,  but 
you  shall  be  furnished  with  proportionable  power.  The 
business  you  are  to  undertake,  is  not  human,  but  divine ; 
the  things  that  you  are  to  teach,  are  not  carnal,  but  spiri- 
tual ;  the  work  that  you  are  to  set  upon,  is  not  man's 
work,  but  God's.  You  are  to  act  among  men  for  God  ; 
you  are  to  act  in  the  world"  against  the  world  ;  you  are 
to  act  against  the  devil,  in  the  very  midst  of  the  dcvil'-s 
kingdom.  You  are  to  convert  Infidels,  to  make  of  Hea- 
thens, Christians  ;  to  bring  them  near  unto  God,  who 
are  now  without  God  in  the  world  ;  to  carry  the  light  of 
heaven  up  and  down  this  dark  world,  among  tlie  people 
that  sit  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  deaths  to  shew  them 


22  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

the  way  to  life  and  salvation.  You  are  to  turn  the 
world  upside-down  ;  to  change  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  people  ;  to  bring  them  off  from  the  idolatry  of  their 
forefathers,  to  worship  the  true  God  i?i  spirit  and  in  truth. 
You  ai*e  to  reduce  the  earth  into  conformity  with  heaven, 
and  set  up  God's  kingdom  here  in  this  present  world.  And 
all  this  you  shall  not  do  in  ease  and  quietness,  in  prosperi- 
ty and  pleasure  ;  but  whilst  you  are  thus  employed  and 
busied,  you  shall  have  the  whole  world  rise  up  against  you, 
and  the  devil  persecuting  you  with  his  utmost  power, 
through  wicked  men  ;  and  you  shall  not  only  be  hated  of  all 
men  for  my  name''s  sake  ;  but  you  shall  be  even  overwhelm- 
ed with  reproaches,  obloquies,  slanders,  oppositions,  per^- 
cutions,  prisons,  torments,  deaths.  And  therefore,  that  you 
may  be  able,  both  to  do  and  to  suffer  all  these  things,  You 
shall  receive  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  coming  upon  you.^^ 

Now  from  these  words  we  shall  note  something  general- 
ly, and  something  more  particularly. 

In  general  three  ihm^s.     The  first  is  this  : 

I.  That  as  Christ  will  not  suffer  his  disciples  to  be  tempt- 
ed above  their  power,  so  neither  to  be  employed  above 
their  power  ;  but  he  furnishes  them  with  power  sufficient, 
both  for  their  temptations,  and  for  their  employments  ; 
for  their  sufferings,  and  for  their  doings.  And  as  soldi- 
ers, that  are  under  a  wise  and  careful  commander,  when 
they  are  near  an  engagement,  are  not  suffered  to  run  rashly 
upon  the  enemy  ;  nor  permitted  to  go  forth  to  battle  till 
they  are  armed  and  mounted  :  so  Christ  would  not  suffer 
his  disciples  to  go  forth  in  his  warfare,  to  encounter  so  ma- 
ny evils,  and  oppositions,  and  persecutions,  and  the  whole 
power  of  the  world,  and  of  the  devil,  till  first  he  had  arm- 
ed them  with  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  Ye  shall  receive 
power,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you,  ^c. 

Christ  always  gives  unto  all  those  whom  he  sends  forth 
and  employs,  of  his  own  power,  for  his  own  works  ;  hea- 


A  CHRTSTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  2$ 

venly  power  for  heavenly  works,  spiritual  power  for  spi- 
ritual works  ;  the  power  of  God,  to  do  the  works  of  God. 
Indeed,  Christ  gives  unto  some  a  greater  measure  of  power, 
and  to  some  a  less  ;  according  as  he  intends  to  use  some 
in  greater  works  and  difficulties,  and  some  in  less  :  but 
still  they  have  of  Christ's  power,  whether  more  or  less, 
who  are  employed  by  Christ.  And  a  little  of  that  power 
that  is  communicated  by  Christ,  will  enable  a  man  to  do 
great  things  ;  far  greater  than  tlie  world  suspects  or  ima- 
gines. 

So  that  we  may  judge  of  our  calling  to  any  business, 
and  of  our  employment  in  it,  by  the  power  we  have  re- 
ceived from  Christ  for  it.  If  we  have  none  of  the  power 
of  Christ,  we  were  never  set  on  work  by  Christ ;  for  Christ 
never  sets  any  on  his  work,  withou.t  communicating  unto 
them  of  his  power.  And  hereby  we  may  certainly  know 
and  conclude,  that  those  in  the  ministry  that  are  loose  and 
vicious,  idle  and  negligent,  and  insufficient  for  that  work, 
were  never  called  to  it,  nor  employed  in  it  by  Christ ;  but 
they  ran  of  their  own  heads,  when  they  were  not  sent,  and 
minister  in  the  church  for  the  gain  of  money,  and  preach 
only  that  they  miglit  live.  Whereas,  if  Christ  had  employ- 
ed them  in  that  calling,  he  would  have  furnished  them 
with  abilities  for  it :  and  they  bei^  destitute  of  such  abi- 
lities, it  is  most  evident  they  were  not  sent  by  Christ. 

Judge  then  what  a  kind  of  reformation  this  church 
were  like  to,  have,  if  some  men  were  to  have  their  minds  ; 
who  would  have  ignorant  and  insufficient  men,  yea  loose 
and  profane  men,  tolerated  in  the  ministry,  under  pre- 
tence of  keeping  up  ordinances  ;  when  yet  such  men  were 
never  employed  by  Christ,  nor  supplied  with  any  power 
from  him.  Yea,  and  what  ordinances,  I  pray,  are  they  like 
to  be,  which  are  kept  up  by  men  that  are  carnal^  not  having 
the  Spirit  ?  But  you  see  here,  that  Christ's  way  and  wis- 
dom was  different  from  this  ;  for  he  first  gave  the  apostles 


24  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

the  poiver  of  the  Spirit^  and  then  sent  thein  to  preach,  when 
he  had  first  enabled  them  to  preach  [f), 

II.  You  see  here,  that  Christ,  being  to  leave  his  disci- 
ples, in  regard  of  his  bodily  presence,  yet  leaves  behind 
him  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  of  power ;  and  this  was  some 
establishment  to  them  :  yea,  this  gave  great  joy  and  com- 
fort to  them,  who  before  had  their  hearts  filled  with  sorrow. 

Christ,  though  sometimes  he  leaves  his  people,  in  re- 
gard of  sense,  yet  he  never  leaves  them  without  a  promise. 
The  soul  sometimes,  in  the  hours  of  temptation  and  de- 
sertion, may  want  the  sense  and  feeling  of  Christ,  but  it 
never  wants  a  promise  from  Christ ;  and  the  promise  makes 
Christ  present  in  his  absence  :  for  Christ  himself  is  spiri- 
tually present  in  the  promise  ;  and  not  Christ  only,  but 
the  Holy  Spirit  also ;  for  Christ  and  the  Spirit  are  never 
asunder :  but  as  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  one,  so  is 
Christ  and  the  Spirit  one,  and  all  are  in  the  promise.  And 
so  the  promise  is  able  to  uphold  the  soul  in  any  condition  ; 
not  because  of  its  own  nature,  but  because  God,  and . 
Christ,  and  the  Spirit,  are  present  in  the  promise ;  and 
they  are  infinitely  able  tO  support  the  soul,  through  the  pro- 
mise, under  the  greatest  evils,  either  of  earth  or  hell.  Now 
this  enjoyment  of  God  in  the  promise,  is  the  enjoyment  of 
faith,  and  not  of  sense  0land  this  enjoyment  of  faith,  is  the 
most  excellent  and  intimate  enjoyment  of  Christ.  And 
thus  may  the  soul  enjoy  Christ's  presence  in  his  absence ; 
his  presence  according  to  faith,  in  his  absence  according 
to  sense.  And  therefore,  Christ,  departing  from  his  disci- 
ples, in  regard  of  his  bodily  presence,  leaves  with  them 
tlie  promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  in  that  promise,  his 
spiritual  presence.  And  this  is  the  worst  condition  that 
Christ  ever  leaves  his  true  church  in  ;  he  leaves  them  his 


(/)  Melius  est,  nullum  habere,  quam  sacrilej^um,  impium  and  scelera- 
tunrj  mhnstrum,  qui  non  venit  nisi  ut  mactet  and  pei'dat,  sicut  ftir  and  latro 
Luth,  de  Instit.  Miniatr:  FacI. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  25 

presence  in  a  promise,  when  in  regard  of  sense,  he  forsakes 
them. 

III.  Note,  that  Luke,  being  to  speak  in  this  book,  of  the 
Acts  of  the  apostles,  of  the  propagating,  enlarging,  and 
governing  the  Christian  church,  doth  first  make  mention 
of  the  pouring  forth  of  the  Spirit,  and  that  both  upon  the 
apostles,  and  afterwards  upon  the  disciples.  Signifying 
hereby,  that  there  is  nothing  so  necessary  for  the  increase 
and  well  ordering  of  the  true  church  of  Christ,  as  the 
pouring  forth  of  the  Spirit.  And  therefore  they  are  altoge- 
ther deceived,  and  walk  in  the  light  of  nature,  and  not  of 
God,  who  think  the  increase,  and  propagation,  and  pre- 
servation, and  establishment,  and  order,  and  ordering  of  the 
church  of  God,  depend  especially  upon  the  councils  and 
decrees,  and  constitutions  of  men  :  and  that  without  these, 
the  church  of  God  would  soon  come  to  woful  disorder, 
yea,  to  utter  ruin  and  confusion.  As  if  Christ  and  his  Spi- 
rit sat  idle  in  heaven,  and  had  left  the  whole  business  of 
his  church  to  men  ;  and  the  sacred  power  confirmed  with 
the  secular,  were  abundantly  sufficient  for  the  increase  and 
well-ordering  of  the  church.  In  the  mean  time,  not  re- 
garding the  promise  of  the  Father,  nor  xh^  pouring  out  of 
the  Spirit  by  the  Son.  And  this  is  the  verj-  mystery  of  the 
mystery  of  iniquity  i^mong  us,  and  the  very  head  of  anti- 
christ, which  is  }  et  to  be  broken.  And  therefore  let  us 
knows  that,  as  the  Psalmist  saith,  Except  the  Lord  build  the 
house,  they  labour  in  vain  that  build  it;  and  except  the  Lord 
keep  the  city,  the  -watchman  watcheth  but  in  vain:  so  also, 
except  the  Lord,  through  his  word,  pour  forth  the  promise 
of  the  Spirit,  and  by  that  Spirit  of  his,  in  and  through 
the  word,  enlarge  and  govern  the  church,  they  labour  in 
vain  that  undertake  these  things  of  themselves.  For  it  is 
the  Spirit  alone,  that,  through  the  faithful  ministry  of  the 
word,  makes  the  increase  of  the  church,  and  lays  hold  on 
all  the  elect,  and  brings  them,  through  faith,  into  the  unity 

D 


26  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Father ;  and  teaches  them,  and  or- 
ders them,  and  governs  them,  and  preserves  them.  And 
therefore  you  see  here,  that  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  is  first 
performed,  before  the  church  of  God  hath  any  enlarge- 
ment or  government. 

And  now,  from  these  general  things  we  proceed  to  the 
words  more  particularly :  Ye  shall  receive power^  when  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you.  And  here  we  may  note  two 
things. 

I.  What  he  promises  them,  and  that  is  j&oit^e'r;  you  shall 
receive  power, 

II.  How  they  should  be  made  partakers  of  that  power, 
and  that  was,  by  the  Holy  Spirifs  coming  upon  them. 

The  point  we  will  insist  on  from  both,  is  this : 

"  That  the  receiving  of  the  Spirit,  is  the  receiving  of 
power."  Till  we  receive  the  Spirit,  we  are  altogether 
without  power  ;  and  when  we  receive  the  Spirit,  then,  first 
of  all,  do  we  receive  power  ;  power  from  07i  high. 

By  nature  we  are  all  without  strength,  weak,  impotent 
creatures,  utterly  unable  to  do  any  thing  that  is  truly  and 
spiritually  righteous  and  good.  For  by  nature  we  are  no- 
thing but  flesh  '■ifor  that  which  is  born  offesh,  is  flesh  ;  and 
all  flesh  is  grass  ;  a  fading,  withering  and  decaying  thing, 
together  with  all  the  floxvers  of  it  ;  that  is,  the  perfections 
and  excellencies  of  it.  So  that  by  nature  we  are  all  with- 
out power,  because  we  are  nothing  but  flesh;  of  which, 
weakness  is  an  inseparable  adjunct. 

But  when  we  receive  the  Spirit,  we  receive  power  ;  for 
power  is  an  inseparable  adjunct  of  the  Spirit,  as  weakness 
is  of  flesh  :  yea,  the  Spirit  itself,  which  is  given  us,  is  pow- 
er ;  and  that  both  essentially  and  operatively,  in  itself  and 
in  us. 

1.  The  Spirit  is  power  essentially  in  itself;  for  it  is  o?ie 
God  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  co-essential,  co-equal,  co- 
eternal  ;  and  so,  as  Christ  is  the  power  of  God,  so  also  is 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  27 

the  Spirit  the  power  of  God  :  yea,  the  Spirit  is  the  God  of 
power,  as  well  as  the  power  of  God.  So  that  the  Spirit  is 
power  in  himself  essentially  ;  and  he  that  partakes  of  the 
power  of  the  Spirit,  partakes  of  that  power  which  is  God, 
and  no  creature. 

2.  The  Spirit  is  power  operatively  in  us,  by  being  in  us, 
1.  A  spirit  of  knowledge  i  for  the  Holy  Spirit  teaches  us 
to  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God :  yea, 
he  teaches  us  to  know  what  sin  is,  and  what  righteousness  ; 
what  death  is,  and  what  life ;  what  heaven  is,  and  what 
hell ;  what  ourselves  are,  and  what  God  is  :  and  these  things 
he  teaches  us  to  know  otherwise  than  other  men  know 
them.  In  a  word,  the  Spirit  teaches  a  Christian  to  knoxv  all 
things :  that  is,  to  know  God,  and  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  all  the  things  of  both ;  all  other  things  being  nothing 
in  comparison  of  these.  Thus  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a  Spirit 
of  knowledge  in  us  ;  and  so  o{ power ^  for  knowledge  is  the 
strength  of  a  man.  Whereas,  an  ignorant  man  is  a  weak 
man,  you  may  carry  him  whither  you  will :  but  knowledge 
renders  a  man  strong  and  immoveable.  And  in  all  things 
wherein  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a  Spirit  of  knowledge  in  us,  he 
is  also  a  Spirit  of  strength. 

The  Holy  Spirit  is  a  Spirit  of  power  in  us,  by  being  in 
us  a  Spirit  of  truth  And  so  the  Spirit  is;  because  it  doth 
not  only  lead  us  unto  all  truth;  that  is,  unto  the  word, 
which  is  the  only  truth  ;  as  it  is  written.  Sanctify  them 
through  the  truth.  Thy  word  is  truth.  But  also,  the  Spirit 
leads  us  into  the  truth  ;  it  leads  us  into  the  truth,  and  the 
truth  into  us  ;  till  we  and  it  become  one,  by  an  insepara- 
ble union.  The  Holy  Spirit  takes  a  believer,  and  leads 
him  into  one  truth  after  another,  till  at  last  it  leads  him 
into  all  truth.  Now  wherein  the  Spirit  is  a  Spirit  of  truth 
to  us,  it  is  a  "Spirit  of  power :  for  through  the  truth  we 
learn  from  the  Spirit  of  truth,  we  are  altogether  stedfast 
and  immoveable,  among  variety  of  different  and  contrary 


28  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

winds  of  doctrine.  And  this  is  the  very  cause,  that  among 
so  many  divisions,  and  factions,  and  errors,  and  heresies, 
which  wofully  prevail  in  these  present  times  of  ours,  the 
people  of  God  are  not  seduced  and  overcome  ;  to  wit,  be- 
cause they  are  all  taught  of  God,  and  not  of  men ;  and 
have  the  Spirit  of  truth,  to  lead  them  into  the  truth  ;  the 
Spirit,  I  say,  and  not  men :  and  so  it  is  impossible  that 
they  should  fully  and  finally  be  deceived.  For  wherein 
we  are  taught  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  it  is  impossible  we 
should  be  perverted  by  men.  Whereas,  on  the  contrary, 
the  true  ground  why  so  many  are  seduced  and  overcome 
by  the  errors  and  heresies  of  this  age,  is  because  they  have 
taken  up  their  religion  only  from  man's  teaching,  and 
have  received  their  opinions  or  doctrines  from  men  :  and 
so  what  one  man  hath  taught  us,  another  man  can  un- 
teach  ;  yea,  if  we  be  led  to  the  truth  itself  only  by  man, 
man  can  again  lead  us  from  it.  For  all  the  world  cannot 
lead  any  man  into  the  truth,  till  the  Spirit  lead  him  into 
it :  and  when  the  Spirit  doth  lead  us  into  the  truth,  all 
the  men  in  the  World  cannot  lead  us  out  of  it  ;  but  we  are 
so  sure  of  those  things  wherein  the  Spirit  hath  been  a  teach- 
er to  IK,  that  if  all  the  councils  and  churches  in  the 
world,  yea,  all  the  angels  of  heaven,  should  teach  us  con- 
trary, we  should  hold  them  accursed.  But  a  man  that  hath 
not  been  taught  of  the  Spirit,  every  day  you  may  win  him 
into  new  opinions,  by  the  power  and  authority  of  men, 
together  with  the  strength  of  other  advantages.  But  he 
that  hath  been  led  into  the  truth  by  the  Spirit  of  truth, 
is  immoveable  and  invincible  among  all  doctrines.  And 
thus  also  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  being  a  Spirit  of  truth,  is 
also  a  Spirit  of  power  in  us. 

3.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  a  Spirit  of  power  in  us,  by  being 
in  us  a  Spirit  of  wisdom  :  and  so  it  is,  because  it  makes  us 
wise  with  the  wisdom  of  God ;  wise  upon  earth  after  the 
rate  of  heaven  ;  wise  to  salvation.     There  is  no  man  wise 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  29 

without  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  for  the  wisdom  of  c  arnal  men 
is  but  foolishness  before  God,  yea,  before  angels  and  saints  : 
but  the  wisdom  of  the  Spirit  is  most  gracious  and  hea- 
venly wisdom.  And  this  wisdom  of  the  Spirit  is  the 
strength  of  a  Christian :  the  more  he  hath  of  it,  the  more 
mighty  he  is,  both  in  all  his  doings  and  endurings.  It  is 
said,  that  there  was  a  poor  wise  man  delivered  a  small  city 
from  the  power  of  a  mighty  kiyig,  Efxles.  ix.  15.  and  there- 
fore Solomon  concludes  that  wisdo7n  is  better  than  strength  ; 
for  it  can  do  greater  things  than  strength  can.  When  Da- 
vid carried  himself  wisely ,  Saul,  a  great  king,  was  afraid  of 
him  :  he  thought  himself  too  weak  to  deal  with  David,  and 
David  too  mighty  to  deal  with  him,  because  of  his  wisdom  : 
and  Solomon  asked  wisdom  of  God,  above  all  things,  for  the 
strength  of  his  government ;  all  government  without  this, 
being  but  weak  and  brittle.  Thus  wisdom  contributes 
strength  to  us  ;  whereas  we  say  of  a  man  who  wants  wis- 
dom, he  is  a  weak  man.  And  so  the  Holy  Spirit  being  a 
Spirit  of  wisdom  in  us,  is  also  a  Spirit  of  power. 

4.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  a  Spirit  of  power  in  us,  by  being 
in  us  a  Spirit  of  faith.  For  faith  is  a  work  of  the  Spirit  of 
power  :  and  no  less  power  would  work  faith  in  us,  than  that 
which  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead,  F^ph.  i.  19,  when  he 
lay  under  all  the  sin  of  man,  and  all  the  wrath  of  God,  and  all 
the  sorrows  of  death,  and  all  the  pains  of  hell ;  it  must  be  a 
mighty  power  indeed  that  must  raise  Christ  then,  and  that 
power  was  the  power  of  the  Spirit ;  and  no  less  power  will 
work  faith.  So  that  whoever  truly  believes  by  this  faith 
of  the  operation  of  God,  is  sensible  in  his  own  soul,  of  the 
self- same  power  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead.  And 
thus  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a  Spirit  of  faith  in  us,  and  so  of 
power.  For  unbelief  keeps  a  man  in  himself,  but  faith 
carries  a  man  out  to  Christ.  Now  there  is  no  man  weaker 
than  he  that  rests  on  himself;  and  there  is  no  man  stron- 
ger than  he  that  forsakes  himself,  and  rests  on  Christ. 


30  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

And  so  a  man,  through  the  power  of  faith,  is  able,  both  to 
do  and  endure  the  self-same  things  which  Clirist  himself 
did  and  endured. 

1.  He  is  able  to  do  the  same  things  that  Christ  himself 
did  ;  and  therefore  saith  Christ,  All  things  are  possible  to 
him  that  believeth  ;  so  that  a  believer  hath  a  kind  of  omni- 
potency,  and  all  things  are  possible  to  him  ;  because  by 
faith  he  lays  hold  upon  the  power  of  God  ;  and  all  things 
are  possible  to  the  power  of  God ;  and  so  all  things  are 
possible  to  a  believer,  who  is  partaker  of  that  power  of 
God.  And  hence  Paul  saith,  /  ca?i  do  all  things  through 
Christ  that  strengtheneth  me,  Phil.  iv.  13.  This  Christ,  that 
strengthened  him,  was  the  power  of  God;  and  this  power 
of  God,  is  not  a  finite  power,  but  an  infinite :  not  a  parti- 
cular power,  but  a  universal ;  and  so  can  do,  not  some 
things  only,  but  all  things  :  and  so  also  can  all  they  who 
are  truly  partakers  of  it  by  faith.  Yea,  Christ  himself  hath 
a  greater  expression  than  this,  yea,  such  a  one  that  I  never 
durst  have  spoken,  if  Christ  himself  had  not  first  spoken  it ; 
and  that  is  this  :  He  that  believeth  in  ?ne,  the  v\orks  that  I 
do,  shall  he  do;  and  greater  works  than  these  ;  because  I  go  to 
the  Father,  John  xiv.  12.  Where  Christ  saith,  a  believer 
shall  not  only  do  the  same  works  with  himself,  (which  also 
had  been  a  great  thing)  but  also  greater  works  than  him- 
self; and  this  indeed  is  altogether  admirable  and  wonder- 
ful, that  a  believer  should  do  greater  works  than  Christ. 
But  how  is  this  made  good  ?  Why  thus  :  Christ  overcame 
the  law,  and  sin,  and  death,  and  hell,  and  the  whole 
power  of  the  devil,  in  a  body  and  soul  free  from  sin  ;  his 
human  nature  being  the  immediate  formation  of  the  floly 
Spirit  in  the  womb  of  the  virgin  Mary,  and  so  had  not  the 
least  spot  of  sin  in  it.  But  now  believers  overcome  the 
same  evils,  even  the  law,  sin,  death,  hell,  and  the  whole 
power  of  the  devil,  in  corrupted  and  polluted  nature,  in 
bodies  and  souls,  at  the  first  full  of  sin,  and  afterwards 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  31 

defiled  through  many  corruptions.  The  devil  came  to 
Christ,  and  found  nothing  in  him  ;  and  so  he  overcame  : 
But  he  comes  to  a  believer,  and  finds  much  in  him  ;  and  yet 
he  overcomes.  And  this  truly  is  a  greater  work  than 
Christ  did  :  and  these  works  we  do,  but  not  through  our 
own  power,  but  through  Christ's,  of  which  we  truly  par- 
take through  faith. 

2.  A  Christian,  through  the  power  of  faith,  is  able,  not 
only  to  do,  but  also  to  suffer  the  same  things  that  Christ 
himself  suffered.  Now  the  sufferings  of  Christ  were  the 
most  grievous  and  intolerable  to  nature  that  ever  were. 
For  how  did  Christ,  for  the  present,  as  it  were,  lay  aside 
his  divine  nature,  that  he  might  suffer  in  his  human!  And 
how  did  he  suffer  in  this,  the  whole  weight  and  condemna- 
tion of  sin  to  the  very  utmost !  And  the  whole  wrath  of 
God  to  the  utmost  !  and  all  the  sorrows  of  death,  and  the 
pains  of  hell,  to  the  very  utmost !  And  among  all  his  suf- 
ferings, had  not  the  least  drop  of  comfort,  either  from  hea- 
ven or  earth  :  and  yet  through  the  power  of  the  Spirit, 
he  endured  and  overcame  all.  And  so  each  Christian  is  able 
to  endure  and  overcome  the  same  evils  by  the  same  power. 
And  therefore  Paul  desired  to  know  Christ  truly:  not 
only  the  power  of  his  resurrection^  Phil.  iii.  10.  which  any 
one  would  desire  to  know ;  but  also  the  fellowship  of  his 
sufferings^  which  flesh  and  blood  trembles  at  ;  yea,  and  to 
be  made  conformable  to  his  very  death.  Yea,  I  add  yet 
farther,  that  it  a  Christian  should  chance  to  fall  down  into 
hell,  (as  we  believe  Christ  descended  into  hell,  and  so  also 
many  of  his  saints  have  done,  as  David  and  Hezekiah,  &c.) 
yet  a  Christian,  through  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  were  able 
to  overcome  both  the  sins  and.the  pains  of  hell.  And  there- 
fore saith  Solomon^  Love  (which  is  the  power  of  the  Spirit) 
is  too  strong  for  death,  and  too  hard  [or  too  cruel)  ybr  hell: 
Cant.  viii.  5,  6,  as  is  evident  in  that  godly  woman,  (for  I 
will  name  but  one  instance  instead  of  manv^  w^ho,  think- 


32  CHUIST'S  SPIRIT 

ing  of  the  torments  of  hell,  and  of  the  hatred  and  blas- 
phemy of  God,  which  reigned  in  the  damned,  did  earnestly 
intreat  God,  iit  etiamsi  damnar etiir ^  tamen  Deum  dili- 
geret ;  "  that  though  she  were  damned,  yet  still  she  might 
love  God."     Here  love  was  too  hard  for  hell  indeed  ! 

And  thus  a  believer,  through  faith  is  enabled,  both  to  do 
and  endure  the  self-same  things  which  Christ  himself  did 
and  endured  :  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  l^  being  a  Spirit  of 
faith,  is  a  Spirit  of  power  in  us. 

5.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  a  Spirit  of  power  in  us,  by  being 
in  us  a  Spirit  of  righteousness :  and  so  he  is  two  ways  ; 

1.  In  regard  of  mortifying  sin.  For  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwelling  in  us,  is  not  idle  in  us,  but  continually  active ; 
and  so  from  day  to  day  mortifies  sin.  And  this  is  the 
proper  work  of  the  Spirit  in  our  flesh,  to  destroy  out  of 
us  whatsoever  is  contrary  to  itself ;  and  that  is,  every  sin, 
lust,  and  corruption.  Now  our  sins  are  our  weakness ;  a 
man's  pride,  and  passion,  and  envy,  and  covetuousness,  and 
lust,  and  intemperance,  and  every  sin,  is  his  weakness. 
Now  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  being  in  us  a  Spirit  of  righteous- 
ness, mortifies  and  destroys  all  our  sins,  and  so  takes  away 
our  weakness. 

2.  Again  ;  as  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a  Spirit  of  righteousness 
in  us,  in  regard  of  mortifying  sin,  so  also  in  regard  of 
imparting  grace  to  us.  For  all  grace  is  the  fruit  and  ope- 
ration of  the  Spirit  in  our  flesh  ;  and  as  all  light  is  from 
the  sun,  so  is  all  grace  from  the  Spirit.  Now  every  grace 
is  so  much  strength  in  the  soul :  Faith,  so  much  strength  ; 
hope,  so  much  strength ;  love,  so  much  strength  ;  and 
so  humility,  and  patience,  and  temperance,  and  godli- 
ness, and  brotherly-kindness,  and  all  other  graces,  are  so 
much  strength.  And  according  to  each  man's  measure  of 
grace,  so  is  his  measure  of  strength  ;  and  according  to  each 
man's  measure  of  the  Spirit,  so  is  his  measure  of  grace. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  33 

And  thus  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  being  a  Spirit  of  righteous- 
ness, is  also  in  us  a  Spirit  of  power. 

6.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  a  spirit  of  power  in  us,  by  be- 
ing in  us  a  spirit  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord  :  and  so  he  is, 
by  representing  God  to  us  in  his  glory  and  majesty,  ac- 
cording as  he  hath  revealed  himself  to  us  in  his  word; 
from  which  knowledge  of  God,  springs  his  fear.  For 
what  is  the  reason  that  the  men  of  the  world  fear  not  God, 
but  sin  securely  against  the  great  and  glorious  God  every 
day  ?  Why,  the  reason  is,  because  they  know  not  the 
Lord.  Now  the  Spirit  comes,  and  reveals  the  Father  in 
the  Son,  and  presents  God  to  the  soul,  through  his  word, 
in  his  infinite  and  eternal  power,  and  justice,  and  wisdom, 
and  truth,  and  faitlifulness,  and  love,  and  mercy,  and 
goodness,  &c.  and  shines  to  the  soul  in  each  attribute  of 
God  ;  and  now,  w  hen  a  man  sees  God  by  his  own  light, 
and  knows  him  by  his  own  teaching,  then  first  doth  he 
begin  truly  to  fear  God ;  and  the  fear  of  God  is  his 
strength.  For  he  that  fears  God,  is  free  from  all  other 
fear :  he  fears  not  men  of  high  degree,  nor  men  of  low 
degree,  nor  the  united  power  of  all  the  creatures :  he 
fears  not  the  fear  of  other  men  in  their  evils,  but  in  the 
midst  of  all  fearful  things,  he  is  without  fear ;  because  he 
sanctifies  the  Lord  of  hosts  in  himself  in  his  heartland  makes 
him  his  fear,  arid  his  dreads  Isai.  viii.  13.  And  by  this 
means,  amidst  all  evils,  he  hath  admirable  confidence  and 
assurance;  because  he  knows  that  no  evil  can  befal  him 
from  any  man,  or  from  any  creature,  till  first  it  be  the 
will  of  God :  and  also,  that  whatever  evil  befals  him, 
according  to  the  will  of  God,  it  shall  work  for  good 
unto  him  in  the  end.  Thus  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  a 
Christian's  confidence,  and  a  believer's  strength  :  where- 
as, he  that  fears  not  God,  fears  every  thing;  yea,  not  only 
real,  but  imaginary  evils ;  and  as  evils  multiply  his  fears, 

so  his  fears  again  multiply  his  evils ;  till  at  last  he  be  swal- 

£ 


34  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

lowed  up  of  both.    But  the  Holy  Spirit  beinj^  in  us  a  spi- 
rit of  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  is  also  in  us  a  spirit  of  strength. 
7.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  a  spirit  of  power  in  us,  by  being 
in  us  a  spirit  of  love  and  unity.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  a  spirit 
of  love  and  unity  in   the  Godhead  ;  for  the  Father  loves 
the  Son,  with  the  Spirit ;  and  the  Son  loves  the  Father, 
with  the  Spirit ;  and  the  Father  is  one  with  the  Son,  in 
the  Spirit ;  and  the  Son  is  one  with  the  Father,  in  the  Spi- 
rit ;  and  the  Spirit  is  the  bond  both  of  love  and  unity  be- 
tuecn  the  Father  and  the  Son  ;  and  God,  being  most  love, 
and  most  one,  is  also  most  strong.     Now  what  the  Spirit 
is  in  the  Godhead,  he  is  the  same  in  the  Church  of  God, 
which  is  the  true  temple  and  habitation  of  the  Godhead, 
and  that  is,  a  spirit  of  love  and  unity  :  for  why  is  there 
such  constant  love  and  unity  between  the  members  of  the 
same  body,  but  because  one  spirit  runs  through  theni  all '? 
And  so  there  is  such  constant  love  and  unity  between  all 
believers,  because  one  Holy  Spirit  runs  through  them  all. 
And  hence  we  may  take  notice  of  a  remarkable  difference 
between  nature  and  grace  ;  for  nature,  of  one  makes  ma- 
ny ;  for  we  all,  who  are  many  among  ourselves,  even  a 
whole  world  of  men,  were  but  one  in  Adam  :  omnes  eramus 
Hie  unus  homo;  but  grace,  of  many,  makes  one ;  for  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  is  as  fire,  melts  all  the  faithful  into  one  mass 
or  lump,  and  makes  of  many  one  body,  one  thing  :  yea,  it 
makes  them  one  in  the  unity  of  God,  according  to  that  of 
Christ,  Johtij  xvii.  21.  that  they  all  may  he  one^  as  thou.  Fa- 
ther^ art  in  ?}ie,  and  I  in  thee  ;  that  they  also  may  be  one  in 
us :  mark  the  words,  for  they  are  wonderful ;  that  they  all 
may  be  one  ;  tliat  is,  that  all  believers,  who  are  many  among 
themselves,  may  be  all  made  one  ;  one  ?     Flow  one  ?   As  • 
thou,  Father^  art  in  me.  and  I  in  thee  ;  that  is,  as  thou  and  I, 
being  two  persons,  are  yet  but  one  God  :  after  this  highest 
example  of  unity,  let  them  be  made  one  in  us  ;  us  long  as 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  35 

they  remain  in  tliemselves,  they  are  many  ;  and  how  much 
they  remain  in  themselves,  they  are  many  ;  for  their  unity 
is  not  in  themselves,  but  they  are  one  in  us,  who  are  one ; 
that  is,  how  much  the  saints,  by  the  Spirit,  are  carried  into 
the  Father  and  the  Son,  who  are  one  ;  so  much  also  are 
they  made  one,  not  only  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  but 
also  with  one  another.  You  may  see  in  the  Acts,  how  the 
multitude  of  believers,  after  they  had  received  the  Spirit, 
so  far  fortli  as  they  had  received  the  Spirit,  ivere  of  one 
hearty  and  of  one  mind.  And  this  unity  of  believers,  is  their 
strength  ;  and  when  God  shall  take  away  all  those  preju- 
dices, and  suspicions,  and  jealousies,  and  particular  ends 
and  interests,  and  divisions,  and  separations,  and  schisms, 
that  are  among  his  own  people  ;  and  the  people  of  God 
shall  be  reduced  into  this  blessed  unity  among  themselves, 
and  the  Lord  be  one,  and  his  name  one,  among  them  all ; 
then  shall  the  church  also  be  of  admirable  and  invisible 
power.  So  that,  all  they  that  strive  with  it,  shall  perish:  and 
'all  they  that  war  against  it,  shall  be  as  nothing :  yea,  then 
shall  the  Lord  make  the  church  as  a  new  sharp  threshing  in- 
strument, having  teeth,  a?id  it  shall  thresh  the  mountains,  that 
is,  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  ;  and  shall  beat  them  small ; 
and  shall  make  the  hills,  that  is,  the  lesser  commonwealths, 
as  chaff,  Isai.  xli.  15.  But  till  the  church  of  God  attain 
to  this  unity,  it  shall  not  do  any  excellent  thing  ;  it  shall 
not  work  any  notable  deli\'erance  in  the  earth,  neither  shall 
the  inhabitants  of  the  world  fall.  When  the  Spirit  of  God 
shall  be  a  spirit  of  unity  in  the  faithful,  and  shall  heal  all 
the  sad  differences  and  dissensions  that  are  now  between 
them,  then  also  shall  it  be  a  spirit  of  admirable  power  in 
them. 

And  thus  much  for  the  explication  of  the  point. 

The  use  is  twofold. 

1.  The  first  is,  to  exhort  all  men,  every  where,  to  en- 
deavour to  partake  of  t4iis  supernatural,  spiritual,  and  di- 


5G  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

vine  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  is  certainly  commu- 
nicated to  all  the  faithlbl  and  elect  in  Christ  Jesus.  And 
let  no  man  think  it  is  a  thing  indifferent,  whether  he  have 
this  power  or  no  ;  but  know,  that  the  having  of  this  power 
of  the  Spirit,  is  of  absolute  necessity,  and  that  both  for 
ministers,  and  for  all  other  Christians. 

1.  There  is  a  necessity  of  this  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
for  ministers  ;  and  to  them  this  present  place  doth  chiefly 
relate. 

1.  For,  first,  if  they  have  not  this  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  they  have  no  power  at  all.  For  Christ  sent  them, 
only  as  his  Father  sent  him ;  and  so  Christ  never  gave 
unto  them  any  earthly,  or  human,  or  secular  power;  no 
power  of  swords  or  prisons,  no  power  of  outward  con- 
straint and  violence.  Christ  gave  them  no  such  outward 
and  worldly  power,  for  the  enlargement  of  his  kingdom, 
as  not  being  at  all  suitable  to  it.  For  his  kingdom  is  spi- 
ritual ;  and  what  can  carnal  power  do  in  a  spiritual  king- 
dom ?  His  kingdom  is  heavenly ;  and  what  can  earthly 
power  do  in  a  heavenly  kingdom  ?  His  kingdom  is  ?iot  of 
this  world ;  and  what  can  worldly  power  do  in  a  kingdom 
that  is  not  of  the  world  ?  And  though  antichrist  and  his 
ministers  have  arrogated  and  usurj)ed  such  a  carnal,  and 
earthly,  and  worldly  power  to  themselves,  in  their  pretend- 
ed managing  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  yet  the  faithful  min- 
isters of  Christ  cannot. 

And  therefore,  seeing  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  have 
no  power  from  beneath,  they  must  needs  have  power  from 
on  high ;  seeing  they  have  no  fleshly  power,  they  must 
needs  have  spiritual  power ;  seeing  they  have  no  power 
from  earth,  and  from  men,  they  must  needs  have  power 
from  heaven,  and  from  God ;  that  is,  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  coming  on  them,  or  else  they  have  no  power 
at  all. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  37 

2.  The  ministers  of  the  gospel  must  needs  have  this 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  because  otherwise  they  are  not 
sufficient  for  the  ministry.  For  no  man  is  sufficient  for 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  by  any  natural  parts  and  abi- 
lities of  his  own,  nor  yet  by  any  acquired  parts  of  human 
learning  and  knowledge  ;  but  only  by  this  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit :  and  till  he  be  endued  with  this,  notuathstand- 
ing  all  his  other  accomplishments,  he  is  altogether  insuf- 
ficient. And  therefore,  the  very  apostles  were  to  keep 
silence,  till  the}'  were  endued  with  this  power :  they  were 
to  wait  at  Jerusalem  till  they  had  received  the  promise  of 
the  Spirit,  and  not  to  preach  till  then.  Yea,  Christ  him- 
self did  not  betake  himself  to  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
till  first  the  spirit  of  God  came  upon  him,  and  anointed 
him  to  preach.  And  therefore,  for  thirty  years  together, 
he  did  not  preach  publicly  and  ordinarily,  till  at  John's 
baptism  he  received  this  power  of  the  Spirit,  coming  on 
him.  Now  if  Christ  himself,  and  his  apostles,  were  not 
sufficient  for  the  ministry,  till  they  had  received  this  power 
from  on  high,  no  more  are  any  other  ministers  whatsoever. 
For,  as  I  said,  it  is  not  natural  parts,  and  abilities,  and 
gifts,  and  learning,  and  eloquence,  and  accomplishments, 
that  make  any  man  sufficient  lor  the  ministry  ;  but  only 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  coming  upon  him.  So  that 
whosoever  is  destitute  of  the  spirit  of  power,  is  insuf- 
ficient for  the  work  of  the  ministry  ;  and  that  in  these  res- 
pects : 

1.  Without  this  power  of  the  Spirit,  ministers  are  ut- 
terly unable  to  preach  the  word  ;  that  is,  the  true,  spiritual, 
and  living  word  of  God.  For  to  preach  this  word  of  God, 
requires  the  power  of  God.  One  may  speak  the  word  of 
man,  by  the  power  of  man,  but  he  cannot  speak  the  word 
of  God,  but  by  the  power  of  God.  And  Christ  himself, 
in  all  his  ministry,  spoke  nothing  of  himself,  in  the 
strength  of  his  human  nature ;  but  he  spake  all  he  spake 


38  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

by  the  power  of  God  ;  and  without  this  power  of  God,  he 
could  not  have  spoken  one  word  of  God.  And  so,  in  like 
manner,  no  man  is  able  to  preach  Christ,  but  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  is  the  power  of  God.  For  Christ  is  the 
power  of  God  ;  and  can  never  be  represented,  but  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  which  is  the  power  of  God.  For  as  we  see 
light  in  his  light ;  that  is,  the  Father,  who  is  light,  in  the 
Son,  who  is  light ;  or  else  the  Son,  who  is  light,  in  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who  is  light ;  so  we  know  power  in  his  power  ;  that 
is,  the  Son,  who  is  power,  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  power. 
And  Christ,  who  is  the  power  of  God,  can  never  be  made 
known  to  the  church,  but  by  the  ministration  of  the  Spi- 
rit, which  is  the  power  of  God.  So  that  it  is  not  an  easy 
thing  to  preach  Christ,  the  power  of  God  ;  yea,  none  can 
do  it  aright,  but  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  coming 
upon  him. 

2.  Without  this  power  of  the  Spirit,  ministers  are  un- 
able to  preach  the  word  powerfully.  They  may,  it  may 
be,  happen  upon  the  outward  word  ;  yet  there  is  no  power 
in  their  ministry,  till  they  have  received  this  power  of  the 
Spirit,  coming  upon  theiti.  Otherwise  their  ministry  is 
cold,  and  there  is  no  heat  in  it ;  it  is  weak,  and  there  is  no 
strength  in  it. 

1.  It  is  cold,  and  there  is  no  heat  in  it.  Without  men 
have  received  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  there  is  no  fire  in 
their  preaching.  Their  ministry  is  unlike  the  ministry  of 
Elias,  whose  ministry  was  as  fire ;  and  unlike  John  Bap- 
tist's, who,  in  his  ministry,  was  a  burning  and  shining  light  ; 
and  unlike  Christ's,  whose  ministry  made  the  disciples 
hearts  burn  within  them  ;  and  unlike  the  apostles,  who,  hav- 
ing received  the  Spirit,  were  as  men  made  all  of  fire,  run- 
ning through  the  world,  and  burning  it  up.  Without  this 
Spirit,  a  man's  ministry  is  cold,  it  warms  the  hearts  of 
none,  it  inflames  the  spirit  of  none  ;  but  leaves  men  still 
frozen  in  their  sins. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  39 

2.  It  is  weak,  and  hath  no  might  in  it.  There  is  no 
strength  in  a  ministry  where  there  is  no  Spirit.  Whereas, 
when  men  have  received  the  Spirit,  then  their  ministry  is 
a  powerful  ministry;  as  Paiily  1  Thess.  i.  5.  The  Gospel  came 
to  you  not  in  word  only  ^  but  in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost; 
and  therefore  in  power,  because  in  the  Holy  Spirit.  And 
again,  1  Cor.  ii.  4.  My  speechand preaching  wasnot  with  the 
enticing  words^of  man^s  wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of  the 
Spirit,  and  power.  Where  you  see  the  Spirit  and  power  in 
the  work  of  the  ministry  are  always  conjoined,  as  the  sun 
and  light  are.  And  that  ministry  that  is  in  the  Spirit,  is 
always  in  power  :  and  being  in  power,  it  is  always  effectual, 
either  to  convert  men,  or  to  enrage  them  :  and  the  enrag- 
ing of  men,  is  as  evident  a  sign  of  the  Spirit  of  power  in  a 
man's  ministry,  as  the  conversion  of  men.  Whereas,  a 
cold  and  dead  ministry,  that  is  destitute  of  this  power, 
doth,  as  we  used  to  say,  neither  good  nor  harm ;  neither 
converts  nor  enrages  ;  neither  brings  in  righteousness,  nor 
destroys  sin  ;  neither  kills  nor  quickens  any ;  but  leaves 
men  in  their  old  temper  for  many  years  together,  and 
never  stirs  them.  But  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  and 
power  is  operative  and  mighty,  and  carries  all  before  it. 
And  though  evil  and  carnal  men  will  ever  be  murmuring, 
and  wrangling,  and  opposing,  and  contending  against  such 
a  ministry  ;  yet  they  are  never  able  to  resist  the  wisdom 
and  spirit  of  it ;  as  the  Libertines,  Cyrenians,  and  Alex- 
andrians, 7y(?r(?«o^  ableto  resistthewisdom  and  spirit  by  which 
Stephen  spake,  Acts  vi.  10.  And  therefore,  let  them  that 
will  needs  be  striving  against  such  a  ministry,  know,  that 
they  strive  against  more  than  a  mere  man  ;  they  strive 
against  power  from  on  high  ;  against  the  greatest  power 
that  ever  God  put  forth  ;  against  the  power  of  Christ  him- 
self, and  his  Eternal  Spirit ;  and  so  they  shall  never  be  able 
to  prevail  against  this  power ;  but  shall  surely  sink  under 
it.     But  to  retiu'n  from  whence  we  have  a  little  digressed. 


40  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

3.  Without  this  power  of  the  Spirit,  as  ministers  ai'c 
not  able  to  preach  the  word,  nor  to  preach  it  powerfully, 
so  neither  are  they  able  to  hold  out  in  their  ministry,  and 
to  carry  it  on  strongly  against  all  opposition  and  contra- 
diction. Peter  and  Johji  preached  the  gospel,  but  pre- 
sently the  rulers,  and  elders,  and  scribes,  convened  them  ; 
and  straitlij  tlireatenedthem,  and  commanded  them  notto  speak 
at  alt;  nor  to  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  Acts  iv.  17,  18.  And 
now,  if  the  apostles  had  wanted  this  power  of  the  Spirit, 
they  wou'd  presently  have  been  snubbed  and  awed,  and 
would  k've  sneaked  away,  and  you  should  have  heard  no 
more  of  them.  But  tluy  having  recei\'ed  this  power,  all 
the  threatnings  and  scornings  of  the  rulers  and  magis- 
trates could  not  deter  them  from  the  discharge  of  their 
office,  and  that  ministr}  they  had  received  from  Christ. 
But  though  before,  they  were  fearful,  and  trembling,  and 
daunted  at  the  apprehension  of  the  least  danger  ;  yet  now, 
having  received  this  power,  they  are  altogether  undaunt- 
ed ;  and  said  to  the  rult-rs  and  eiders,  Whether  it  be  right 
in  the  sight  of  God,  to  hearken  unto  you,  more  than  unto 
God,  judge  ye.  Acts  iv.  19.  As  if  they  should  have  said, 
"  O  ye  rulers  and  elders  of  the  people,  our  case  is  a  plain 
case,  wherein  we  are  most  willing  that  even  your  ownselves 
should  be  judges  :  For  we  have  received  a  command  from 
God  to  preach  the  Gospel  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
you  forbid  us  to  do  that,  which  God  hath  commanded  us. 
Now  do  you  yourselves  be  judgt  s,  who  is  fittest  to  be  obey- 
ed, God  or  you  "?  The  great  and  glorious  God  of  heaven 
and  earth,  or  poor  wn  tched  men,  such  as  yourselves  ?  Nay, 
what  God  hath  commanded  us,  we  must,  and  will  obey, 
against  all  your  threatnings  and  punishments,  and  whatever 
you  can  say  or  do.  We  cannot  conceal,  but  must  publish, 
what  we  have  seen  and  known  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ; 
of  his   incarnation,   liie,   death,   resurrectipn,   ascension, 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  41 

kingdom,  glory,  and  of  that  great  redemption  and  salva- 
tion, which  he  hath  wrought,  and  purchased  for  all  the  elect 
of  God." 

Now  I  would  to  God  that  the  unjust  commands  of  all 
magistrates,  and  secular  powers  whatsoever,  might  be  no 
otherwise  obeyed  than  this  unjust  command  of  the  rulers 
was  by  Peter  and  John  ;  and  that  no  man  would  dare  to 
yield  more  obedience  to  the  creature,  than  to  the  Lord 
of  all. 

For  no  princes  or  magistrates  in  the  world,  have  any 
power  to  forbid  the  preaching  of  the  everlasting  gospel, 
which  God  hath  commanded  should  be  published  to  all 
nations,  for  the  obedience  of  faith ;  I  say,  they  have  no 
power  at  all  to  forbid  the  preaching  of  this  gospel,  or  of 
any  one  truth  of  it,  though  ever  so  cross  to  their  designs. 
And  if  they  should,  yet  herein  ought  we  to  know  no  more 
obedience  than  Peter  and  John  did  here.  We  ought  to 
obey  God  and  not  them  ;  and  to  make  known  the  whole 
mind  of  God,  though  it  be  never  so  contrary  to  their 
mind  ;  after  the  example  of  Peter  and  John^  who  having 
received  this  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  held  on  their  mi- 
nistry, against  all  the  countermands,  and  threatnings,  and 
punishments  of  the  magistrates.  Whereas,  without  this 
power,  they  had  soon  fainted  and  failed,  and  had  never 
been  able  to  have  gone  through  with  it. 

4.  Without  this  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  ministers  are 
not  able  to  reprove  the  world.  For  every  man,  by  nature, 
seeks  the  amity  of  the  world ;  and  no  man,  by  his  good 
will,  would  provoke  the  enmity  of  it  against  himself.  And 
therefore,  flesh  and  blood  will  never  reprove  the  world  of  sin, 
but  allows  it,  and  countenances  it  in  sin.  But  now  the 
Spirit y  when  he  is  come^  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin. 
When  a  man  hath  this  power  of  the  Spirit  in  him,  then 
presently  he  reproves,  and  argues,  the  world  of  sin ;  and 
so  by  his  ministry  bids  defiance  to  the  whole  world,  and 

F 


j^2  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

provokes  the  whole  world  against  himself.  And  this  no 
man  either  can  do,  or  dares  do,  except  he  be  first  endued 
with  this  power  of  the  Spirit,  coming  on  him.  And  there- 
fore spilth  3ficah,  chap.  iii.  8. 1  am  full  of  porver  by  the  Spi- 
rit af  the  Lord^  and  of  judgment^  and  of  might  ;  to  declare 
unto  Jacob  his  transgression,  and  to  Israel  his  sin. 

The  world,  of  all  other  things,  cannot  endure  the  re- 
proof of  sin,  and  the  declaration  of  its  evil  ways.  And 
therefore  it  is  exceedingly  offended,  yea,  and  extremely 
rages  against  the  faithful  teachers  of  the  word,  with  all 
sorts  of  punishments  and  persecutions  ;  as  the  examples  of 
all  the  prophets,  apostles,  and  faithful  teachers  of  the 
word  of  God,  in  all  ages  do  declare.  Yea,  and  Christ 
himself  testifies  touchinghimself;  Therefore  the  rvorld  hates 
me,  because!  test  fi/ of  it,  that  thexvorks  thereof  are  evil.  But 
now,  they  that  will  connive  at  sin,  and  flatter  the  world  in 
its  own  ways,  these  are  the  only  men  of  reckoning,  and 
live  in  all  wordly  honour  and  prosperity.  And  all  ages 
can  witness,  that  all  teachers  are  not  of  that  strength  and 
resolution,  to  contemn  the  hatre^  and  fury  of  the  world ; 
nay,  the  most  are  quite  overcome  with  the  prosperity  of 
this  present  life,  and  with  the  desire  of  friends,  and  riches, 
and  preferments;  and  so  wink  at  the  sins  of  the  world,  and 
are  ministers  in  whose  mouths  are  no  reproofs,  though  the 
whole  world  lie  in  wickedness.  For,  thus  they  escape  the 
rage  and  violence,  and  obtain  the  favour  and  love,  of  the 
men  of  this  world.  And  thus  weak  and  unworthy  are 
those  men  M'ho  are  only  endued  with  their  own  spirits : 
But  now,  saith  Micah,  I  am  full  of  power  by  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord.,  and  of  judgment,  and  of  might  ;  to  declare  unto 
Jacob  his  transgression,  arid  to  Israel  his  sin. 

As  if  he  should  have  said,  "  The  power  of  the  Spirit  of 
the  JLord  dwelling  in  me,  puts  forth  itself  two  ways,  in 
judgment,  and  in  fortitude." 

1.  In  judgment;  and  this  signifies  the  reproving  and 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  43 

the  condemning  sin  and  wickedness,  as  the  prophet  him- 
self explicates  ;  saying,  that  I  might  declare  unto  Jacob  his 
transgressioft,  and  to  Israel  his  sin.  But  seeing  their  being 
full  of  judgment  doth  not  want  danger,  but  exposes  a  man 
to  a  thousand  evils,  inasmuch  as  the  world  can  endure  no- 
thing less  than  the  reproof  of  sin  ;  therefore  I  am,  by 
the  power  of  the  Spirit,  not  only  full  of  judgment,  but 
also. 

Secondly,  full  of  might ;  as  the  spirit  of  judgment 
exposes  me  to  danger,  so  the  spirit  of  might  enables  me  to 
contemn  those  dangers.  So  that,  though  the  world,  be- 
cause of  the  spirit  of  judgment,  threatens  never  so  many 
evils  ;  yet  the  prophet  is  not  frighted  from  his  office,  but, 
through  the  spirit  of  might,  discharges  it  faithfully,  in  des- 
pite of  all  those  threatnings. 

And  whenever  ministers  want  this  spirit  of  might, 
though  out  of  danger,  they  may  be  confident ;  yet,  at  the 
very  first  encounter  of  evil,  they  will  bend  and  yield,  and 
speak  and  do  all  things  for  the  favour  of  the  world ;  rather 
than,  for  the  truth's  sake,  they  will  expose  themselves  to 
the  hatred  and  opposition  of  the  world. 

5.  Without  this  power  of  the  Spirit,  they  are  unable  to 
wrestle  with,  and  overcome  the  devil ;  whose  subtilty,  and 
wrath,  and  malice,  and  power,  they  must  needs  encounter 
with,  in  the  work  of  the  ministry.  Christ,  as  soon  as  he 
was  endued  with  this  power,  and  anointed  by  the  Spirit  to 
preach,  was  immediately  led  into  the  wilderness,  to  be 
tempted  of  the  devil ;  who  would  fain  have  taken  him  off 
from  the  work  of  the  ministry,  if  it  had  been  possible  :  but 
Christ,  being  endued  with  this  power,  overcame  the  deviL 
And  Christ,  before  he  sent  his  apostles  to  preach  the 
kingdom  of  God,  as  you  may  see,  Luke  ix.  1.  called 
them  together,  and  gave  them  power  and  authority  over  all 
devils :  and  when  they  returned,  they  told  him,  that  the 
devils  themselves  were  subject  to  them.  But  now,  the  seven 


44  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

sons  of  Sceva,  who  were  destitute  of  this  power,  when  they 
took  upon  them  to  call  over  one  who  had  an  evil  spirit, 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  to  say,  JFe  adjure  you  by 
Jesus  whom  Paul  preacheth  ;  the  evil  spirit  answered  and 
said,  Jesus  I  know  ^  and  Paul  I  know  ;  hut  who  are  ye  ?  And 
so  "  the  man  in  whom  the  evil  spirit  was,  leaped  upon  them, 
and  overcame  them,  and  prevailed  against  them,  and  they 
fledaway  naked  and  wounded;"  Acts  xix.  Sothatthey  being 
destitute  of  this  power  from  on  high,  the  devil  was  pre- 
sently too  hard  for  them,  and  they  were  overcome  by  the 
devil.  But  now,  they  that  are  invested  with  this  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  able  to  wrestle  with  principalities  and 
powers^  and  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world  ;  and  to 
out-wrestle  them,  and  to  tread  satan  himself  under  their 
feet. 

Sixthly :  Without  this  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  are 
unable  to  suffer  persecution  for  the  word  ;  but  the  least 
touch  of  evil  causes  them  to  pull  in  their  horns ;  and  each 
reproach,  and  opposition,  and  persecution  shakes  them 
down.  Whereas,  this  power  makes  them  confident,  cou- 
rageous, comfortable,  and  invincible,  in  the  midst  of  all 
evils.  See  this  in  some  examples.  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
being  anointed  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  with  power,  did 
not  only  preach  the  truth  in  his  life,  but  also  wit?iessed  a 
good  confession  before  Pontius  Pilate^  and  sealed  to  the  truth 
with  his  death.  Paul^  who  was  endued  with  the  same 
power,  when  Agabus  foretold  him  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  of 
liis  bonds  at  Jerusalem^  and  the  brethren  hearing  it,  came 
weeping  to  Paul^  and  besought  him  to  keep  himself  out 
of  bonds,  by  not  going  up  thither  ;  Paul  reproved  them, 
and  told  them,  that  he  xvas  ready,  not  only  to  be  bound,  but  to 
die  at  Jerusalem  for  the  Lord  Jesus.  Chrysostom  was  en- 
dued with  the  same  power,  and  so  resolved  to  preach  the 
truth,  and  not  to  depart  from  the  truth,  though  the  whole 
world  should  wage  war  against  him  alone  ;  and  professed, 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  45 

that  he  desired  nothing  more  than  to  suffer  for  the  cause 
of  Christ ;  and  that,  "  If  it  were  offered  to  him  of  God, 
whether  he  would  immediately  go  to  heaven,  or  stay 
on  earth  and  suffer  for  Christ  ;  he  would  a  thousand 
times  rather  choose  this  latter  than  the  former."  Be- 
cause,  in  going  immediately  to  heaven,  he  should  seek  him- 
self, but  in  staying  on  earth  to  suffer  for  Christ,  he  should 
wholly  deny  himself,  and  seek  his  honour  alone.  Luther 
was  endued  with  the*  same  spirit  of  power  ;  and  so  when 
lie  was  called  to  TForms,  before  the  emperor  Charles  the 
fifth,  and  before  all  the  estates  of  the  empire,  to  render  a 
reason  of  his  doctrine  ;  and  some  of  his  friends  (perceiving 
undue  dealing  among  his  adversaries)  persuaded  him  not 
to  go,  to  expose  himself  to  danger  ;  but  he  answered  with 
a  mighty  spirit  (^),  "  I  have  decreed,  and  am  resolved, 
because  I  am  called,  to  go  into  the  city,  in  the  name  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ;  though  I  knew  there  were  so 
many  devils  to  oppose  me,  as  there  are  tiles  on  all  the 
houses  of  the  city."  And  when  he  was  called  to  return 
to  Wittenberg  by  the  people,  which  he  could  not  do  with- 
out most  evident  and  apparent  danger,  he  being  already 
condemned  by  the  edicts  and  authority,  both  of  the  pope 
and  emperor  ;  and  so  in  regard  of  them,  could  expect 
no  less  than  a  violent  death  every  day  ;  yet  for  all  this, 
lie  was  resolved  to  return  to  his  charge  ;  and  upon  this 
occasion,  hath  this  passage  to  the  duke  of  Saxony  {h). 

("•)  Mihi  vero  qui  vocatus  sum,  decretum  &  cerium  est  ingredi 
urbera,in  nomine  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Cliristi,etiamsi  scirem  tot  dia- 
bolos  mihi  oppositos,  quot  sunt  tegulee  in  omnibus  totius  urbis  tectis. 

(/i)  Verum  quid  faciam?  urgent  me  causpe  inevitabiles,  Deus  cogit 
&  vocat,'hic  nuUi  creaturse  tergiversandum  est.  Age  fiat  igitur  in  no- 
mine Jesu  Christi  qui  est  Dominus  vitee  &  mortis.  Nihil  habeo  quod 
p»ssim  perdere  ;  Domini  ego  sum  ;  si  perdor,  Domino  perdor,  id  est 
invenior.  Alium  ergo  qujere  quem  terreas.  Verum  ego  scio  &  certus 
sum,  Josum  Christum  Dominum  nostrum  vivere  &  regnare :  quo  sci- 


46  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

"  But  what  shall  I  do  ?  unavoidable  causes  urge  me,  God 
himself  calls  and  compels  me,  and  here  I  will  turn  my 
back  to  no  creature.  Go  to  then,  let  me  do  it  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  Lord,  both  of  life  and  death." 
Again,  in  his  answer  to  the  Dialogue  of  Silvester  Frierias, 
who  had  threatened  him  ;  he  saith,  "  I  have  nothing 
that  I  can  lose ;  I  am  the  Lord's,  and  if  I  am  lost,  I 
am  lost  to  the  Lord ;  that  is,  I  am  found.  And  there- 
fore seek  somebody  else  to  fright,^  for  me  you  cannot." 
Again,  in  his  Answer  to  Ambrotius  Cathari?ius,  he  saith  of 
the  pope  and  his  instruments,  "  they  seek  not  to  over- 
come me  with  scriptures,  but  to  destroy  me  out  of  the 
earth  ;  but  I  know  and  am  sure,  that  Christ  our  Lord 
lives  and  reigns.  And  being  even  filled  with  this  know- 
ledge and  confidence,  I  will  not  fear  many  thousands  of 
popes  :  For  greater  is  he  that  is  in  us,  than  he  that  is  in 
the  zvorld.''^  And  again,  in  his  epistle  to  his  father,  he 
hath  this  remarkable  passage  ;  '*  What  if  the  pope  shall 
kill  me  or  condemn  me  below  hell?  He  cannot  raise 
me  up  again  when  I  am  slain,  and  kill  me  a  second 
and  third  time.  And  having  once  condemned  me,  I 
would  never  have  him  absolve  me.  For  I  am  confident 
that  the  day  is  at  hand,  wherein  that  kingdom  of  abo- 
mination and  destruction  shall  be  itself  destroyed.  But 
would  I  might  first  be  counted  worthy,  either  to  be  burn- 

enlia  &  fidiicia  inflatu3,non  timebo  etiam  multa  millia  Paparum.  Ma- 
jor est  enim  qui  in  nobis,  quam  qui  in  mundo  est.  Quid  si  me  occidat 
Papaautdamnet  ultra Tartara?  Occisum  non  suscitabit,  utbis&ite- 
rum  occidat :  damnatum  vero  ego  volo  ut  numquam  absolvat.  Confido 
enim,  instare  diem  ilium  quodestruetur  regnum  illud  abominationes 
&  perditionis.  Utinani  nos  primi  digui  simus,  vel  exuri  vel  occidi  ab 
eo,  quo  sanguis  noster  magis  clamat,  &  urgeat  judicium  illius  acce- 
lerari.  Sed  si  digni  non  sumus  sanguine  testificari,  banc  saltern  ore- 
mus  &  imploremus  niisericordiam,  ut  vita  &  voce  testemur,  quod 
Jesus  Christus  solus  est  Dominus  &  Deus  noster,  Benedictus  in  se- 
cula  seculorum.    Luther,  in  Epist,  ad  Pair. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  47 

ed  or  slain  by  him,  that  so  my  blood  might  cry  the  louder, 
and  urge  his  judgment  to  be  the  more  hastened.  But  if  I 
am  not  worthy  to  testify  with  my  blood,  let  me  at  least  in- 
treat  and  implore  this  mercy,  that  I  may  testify  by  my  life 
and  doctrine,  that  Jesus  Christ  alone  is  our  Lord,  and  God 
blessed  for  ever  and  ever." 

Calm  Melancthon  was  endued  with  the  same  spirit  of 
power;  and  so,  when  his  enemies  threatened  him  not  to 
leave  him  a  place  in  all  Germany  whereon  to  set  his  foot, 
he  said,  Avido  &  tranquillo  animo  expecto  exilia  ;  "  I  ex- 
pect banishment  with  a  desirous  and  peaceful  mind." 

Many  more  examples  might  be  produced,  to  show,  that 
when  ministers  are  endued  witJi  the  power  of  the  Spirit 
coming  on  them,  then  they  are  stronger  than  all  opposi- 
tion and  persecution  whatsoever;  otherwise,  when  these 
evils  encounter  them,  they,  with  Demas,  leave  tlie  work  ; 
and  embrace  the  world. 

And  thus  you  see,  what  necessity  all  the  faithful  mi- 
nisters of  the  gospel  have,  of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
coming  upon  them ;  and  without  this  power,  though  they 
be  called  ministers,  yet  they  are  none  :  For  without  this 
power,  they  are  unable  to  preach  the  word,  to  preach  it 
powerfully,  and  to  persevere  and  hold  out  in  the  course  of 
the  ministry  ;  they  are  unable  to  reprove  the  world  ;  to 
wrestle  with  and  overcome  the  devil ;  and  to  suffer  that  per- 
secution, which  necessarily  attends  that  calling.  And  so 
without  this  power,  they  may  minister  to  themselves,  but 
cannot  minister  to  others  the  manifold  graces  of  God  :  they 
may  do  their  own  work,  but  they  cannot  do  God's  work  ; 
they  may  feed  themselves,  but  not  the  flock  of  Christ :  they 
may  domineer  over  the  sh'eep^  but  cannot  drive  away  the 
wolf:  they  may  build  up  their  own  houses,  but  cannot 
build  up  God's  house. 

Secondly,  As  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  pgw'er  of  it,  is  ne- 


48  CHRIST'S  i^PIRIT 

cessary  for  ministers,  so  also  for  all  other  Christians  what- 
soever. 

But  some  here  will  be  ready  to  say,  yea,  but  do  all  be= 
lie  vers  receive  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  power  of  the  Spi- 
rit, as  ministers  do  ? 

Yes,  equally  and  alike  with  themj,  without  any  differ- 
ence. This  is  evident,  Acts  xi.  15.  where  Peter  tells  the 
Jews,  who  contended  with  him  for  conversing  and  eating 
with  the  Gentiles,  that  when  He  began  to  speak  the  -word  to 
thetn^  the  Holy  Spirit  Jell  07i  them,  saith  he,  as  on  us  at  the 
beginning.  And  again,  ver.  17.  Forasmuch  then  as  God  gave 
unto  them  the  like  gift  as  he  did  unto  us,  who  believed  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  -what  was  I,  that  I  could  withstand  God, 
So  that  God  gave  the  Holy  Spirit  to  as  many  Gentiles  as 
believed,  in  like  manner  as  he  did  unto  the  apostles  them- 
selves :  and  they  received  the  same  power  of  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit coming  on  them,  as  the  apostles  did.  Whereby  you 
may  perceive,  that  not  ministers  only  are  spiritual  men,  and 
all  others  temporal,  as  the  Papists  have  taught,  and  many 
ignorant  people  among  ourselves,  are  still  persuaded  :  but 
all  true  believers  are  spiritual,  as  well  as  they,  being  born 
of  the  Spirit,  and  baptized  v/ith  the  Spirit,  equally  as 
they  are. 

And  so  all  true  believers,  as  well  as  ministers,  being 
endued  with  the  Spirit ;  are  also  endued  with  the  power 
of  the  Spirit,  and  so  have  more  than  an  earthly  power  in 
them.  They  have  all  of  them  power  of  another  nature 
than  the  power  of  the  world  ;  they  partake  of  spiritual, 
heavenly  and  divine  power,  even  of  the  very  power  of 
Christ  himself;  which  ii^fmitely  transcends  all  the  power  of 
the  creature. 

You  see  then  clearly,  that  all  faithful  Christians  have  the 
spirit  of  power,  and  the  power  of  the  Spirit  coming  on 
them,  as  well  as  ministers  :  And  they  stand  in  need  of  both 
these,  for  these  causes ; 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  49 

1.  They  stand  in  need  of  the  spirit  of  power,  first,  to 
differc.ice  and  distinguish  them  from  reprobates,  and  de- 
vils :  lor  without  the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  there  is  no  dif- 
ference between  us  and  them.  For  Michael  doth  not  dif- 
fer from  the  devil,  nor  Gabriel  from  Beelzebub^  but  only 
by  the  Spirit.  And  Moses  differs  not  from  Pharaoh^  nor 
Abel  from  Cain,  nor  Jacob  from  Esau^  nor  Peter  from  Ju- 
das, in  regard  of  their  substance,  but  in  regard  of  the 
Spirit ;  which  the  one  received,  and  the  others  were  count- 
ed unwortiiy  of. 

2.  To  advance  them  above  the  condition  of  flesh  and 
blood,  and  above  all  those,  in  whom  is  none  of  God's 
Spirit.  The  excellency  of  each  creature  is  according  to 
its  spirit ;  for  the  more  excellent  the  spirit  of  the  creature 
is,  the  more  excellent  is  the  the  creature  itself;  and  each 
creature  is  valued  and  rated  according  to  the  spirit  of  it. 
How  excellent  then  must  they  be  above  all  the  world, 
who  have  received  the  Spirit  that  is  of  God?  Surely 
these  are  people  of  the  most  excellent  spirit :  And  hence 
it  is,  that  "  the  righteous  is  more  excellent  than  his  neigh- 
bour ;"  because  his  spirit  is  more  excellent  than  his  neigh- 
bour's. 

3.  To  unite  them  unto  Christ.  The  Spirit  is  the  bond 
of  union  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  in  the  Godhead  ; 
and  the  Father  and  the  Son,  are  one  in  the  Spirit,  as  we 
spake  before.  And  now  the  same  Spirit  is  our  bond  of 
union  with  Christ,  and  makes  us  one  with  Christ,  as  Christ 
is  one  with  God,  and  unites  us  unto  Christ  in  the  unity 
of  God  ;  for  as  Christ  is  one  with  the  Father,  in  the  Spirit, 
so  are  we  one  with  Christ  in  the  Spirit :  For  he  that  is  Join- 
ed to  the  Lord  is  one  Spirit ;  and  he  that  is  not  one  Spirit 
with  the  Lord,  is  not  joined  to  him. 

4.  All  faithful  Christians  stand  in  need  of  the  power  of 

the  Spirit,  as  well  as  of  the  Spirit  of  power. 

G 


50      *  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

1.  To  change  their  nature,  which  is  impossible  to  all 
power  but  the  power  of  the  Spirit.  It  would  be  a  great 
power,  to  change  clay  into  gold,  and  a  pebble  into  a  dia- 
mond ;  but  it  is  a  greater  change  that  is  wrought  in  a 
Christian,  and  requires  a  greater  power.  For  the  power  of 
the  Spirit,  when  it  comes  into  our  flesh,  changes  the  na- 
ture of  it.  For  it  finds  a  man  carnal,  it  makes  him  spi- 
ritual ;  it  finds  him  earthly,  it  makes  him  heavenly ;  it 
finds  him  a  drunkard,  it  makes  him  sober :  an  adulterer, 
it  makes  him  chaste  ;  a  swearer,  it  makes  him  fear  an  oath  ; 
proud,  it  makes  him  humble ;  it  finds  him.  darkness,  it 
makes  him  light  in  the  Lord  ;  in  a  word,  it  finds  him  no- 
thing but  a  lump  of  sin,  and  makes  him  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  Christ.  Thus  the  power  of  the  Spirit  changes 
our  whole  corrupt  nature,  and  makes  it  conformable  to 
the  divine  nature  ;  as  fire  makes  the  iron  in  which  it  pre- 
vails, like  unto  itself,  communicating  its  own  nature  to 
it.  After  this  sort,  the  power  of  the  Spirit  changes  our 
nature,  and  our  nature  cannot  be  changed  without  it. 
But  without  this  power  of  the  spirit,  we  shall  always  re- 
main the  same  we  were  born,  without  any  change  at  all. 
Yea,  our  corruption  will,  by  daily  use  and  exercise,  in- 
crease in  us,  till  at  last  it  quite  eat  out  that  common  na- 
tural good,  which  God  hath  given  to  every  one  of  us,  for 
the  common  benefit  of  mankind. 

2.  All  Christians  have  need  of  the  power  of  the  Spirit 
to  work  grace  in  them.  For  our  natures  are  wholly  car- 
nal and  corrupt ;  and  nothing  can  implant  grace  in  them, 
but  the  mighty  power  of  God's  Spirit.  And  it  is  as  great 
a  miracle  to  see  the  grace  of  God  dwelling  in  the  corrupt 
nature  of  man,  as  to  see  the  stars  grow  upon  the  earth. 
And  yet  the  power  of  the  Spirit  doth  this,  as  it  is  written. 
Truth  shall  spring  out  of  the  earth,  Psal.  Ixxxv.  11.  and  a- 
^?\n,Great  andprecious  promises  are  madetous^thative  should 
he  partakers  of  the  Divine  nature,  2  Pet.  i.  4,  and  again, 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  51 

He  hath predestinatedus  tJiatwe  should  be  conformable  to  the 
image  of  his  Son.  That  is,  as  in  otlier  things,  so  also  in 
his  virtues.  So  that  the  power  of  the  spirit  implants  grace 
in  our  nature ;  and  each  grace  is  so  much  of  the  power 
of  the  spirit,  in  our  flesh,  as  was  said  before.  Wherefore 
we  must  needs  learn  to  know,  whose  power  the  power  of 
grace  is.  For  though  grace  be  a  power  in  our  flesh,  it  is 
not  the  power  of  our  flesh  :  for  Paw/saith,  in  me,  that  is,  in 
my  jiesh,  dwells  no  good  thing  :  but  and  if  any  good  be  in 
my  flesh,  it  dwells  not  in  my  flesh,  but  in  God's  Spirit 
which  dwells  in  me.  As  light  is  in  the  air,  but  dwells 
in  the  sun,  so  when  men  are  regenerate,  good  is  in  the 
flesh,  but  dwells  in  the  Spirit.  For  grace  in  the  soul,  is 
nothing  but  so  much  of  the  power  of  the  spirit,  imme- 
diately dwelling  and  working  in  us  ;  and  ^vhen  the  Spirit 
is  gone,  all  grace  goes  along  with  him,  as  all  light  with 
the  sun  :  but  it  dwells  in  him,  and  is  inseparable  from 
him. 

3.  All  Christians  stand  in  need  of  the  power  of  the  Spi- 
rit to  enable  them  to  mortify  and  destroy  sin.  There  is 
no  power  in  our  flesh  against  sin  ;  but  all  the  power  of 
our  fiesn,  is  for  it :  and  therefore  it  must  be  another  power 
than  the  power  of  our  flesh  that  must  destroy  sin,  and 
that  can  be  no  other  than  the  power  of  God's  Spirit.  And 
the  power  of  the  spirit  destroys  the  whole  body  of  sin, 
and  each  particular  strong  corruption. 

1.  The  whole  body  of  sin,  in  all  the  parts,  and  mem- 
bers, and  branches  of  it ;  each  several  influence  and  opera- 
tion of  the  Spirit,  being  a  several  destruction,  of  some  sin 
or  other.  For  as  the  spirit  that  is  in  us,  lusts  after  envy, 
or  pride,  or  vain-glory,  or  covetousness,  or  uncleanness,  or 
the  like ;  so  the  Spirit  we  have  of  God,  according  to 
its  mighty  power,  destroys  all  those  sinful  works  of  our 
corrupt  spirit,  and  mortifies  all  the  deeds  of  our  flesh  ;  ac- 
cording to  that  of  Paul,  If  ye  mortify  the  deeds  ofthefesh^ 


52  CHRIST'S  SPmiT 

by  the  Spirit,  ye  shall  live ^  Rom.  viii.  13.  The  flesh  will  ne- 
ver mortify  its  own  deeds  but  the  spirit  must  mortify  the 
deeds  of  the  flesh  ;  and  this  will  mortify  them,  according 
to  the  whole  latitude  of  them. 

2.  Again,  as  the  power  of  the  spirit  subdues  the  whole 
body  of  sin,  so  also  it  overpowers  each  particular  strong 
corruption,  and  keeps  a  Christian  straight  and  upright 
in  the  ways  of  God.  Every  man  hath  some  one  cor- 
ruption, to  which,  by  nature,  he  is  more  inclined  than  to 
another,  and  this  is  the  bias  of  a  man  ;  but  the  strengtii  of 
the  spirit  will  overpower  this.  A  bowl,  if  it  be  thrown 
with  strength,  knows  not  its  bias,  but  is  carried  on  straight, 
as  if  it  had  no  bias  at  all.  So  the  godly  have  still  some 
flesh  in  them,  which  is  their  bias,  and  carries  them  from 
God  to  themselves  and  the  world,  but  the  strength  of  the 
Spirit  takes  away  this  bias,  and  makes  us  take  straight 
steps  to  God. 

4.  All  Christians  stand  in  need  of  the  power  of  the  spi- 
rit, to  enable  them  to  perform  duties,  to  perform  them 
aright,  that  is,  spiritually.  For  spiritual  duties  may  be 
performed,  for  the  outward  work  carnally ;  and  in  such 
duties  there  is  no  strength,  but  weakness,  because  there  is 
none  of  the  Spirit  in  them.  For  there  is  no  power  in  any- 
duty,  except  there  be  something  of  the  spirit  in  the  duty. 
There  is  no  more  power  in  praying,  nor  in  preaching,  nor  in 
hearing,  nor  in  meditation,  nor  in  reading,  nor  in  resisting 
evil,  nor  in  doing  good,  nor  in  any  duty  of  sanctification, 
or  of  mortification,  than  there  is  of  the  spirit  in  them. 

And  according  to  the  measure  of  the  spirit  in  each 
duty,  is  the  measure  of  power  in  the  duty.  If  there  be 
none  of  the  Spirit  in  a  man's  duties,  there  is  no  power  at 
all  in  them,  but  only  weakness  and  deadness,  and  coldness, 
and  unprofitableness.  If  a  little  of  the  spirit,  there  is  a  lit- 
tle power  ;  if  abundance  of  the  spirit,  there  is  great  power  ; 
and  that  duty  that  is  most  spiritual,  is  the  most  powerful. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.    -  53 

And  therefore  saith  Paui^  I  will  pray  with  the  Spirit,  and  / 
will  sing  with  the  Spirit ;  and  all  the  worship  of  the  faithtul 
is  in  the  spirit.  Philip  m.  3.  PFe  are  the  circumcision  which 
worship  God  in  the  spirit,  and  have  ?io  confidence  in  thefiesh. 
So  that  there  is  no  more  power  in  any  duty,  than  there  is 
of  the  spirit  in  it ;  and  there  is  no  more  acceptance  of  any 
duty  with  God,  than  there  is  of  power  in  it. 

Fifthly:  All  Christians  stand  in  need  of  the  power  of  the 
spirit,  to  enable  them  to  the  use  of  the  word,  and  that  both 
in  private,  and  in  public,  as  occasion  serves. 

1.  In  private  ;  for  no  man  can  say,  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ, 
but  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  No  man  can  speak  of  Christ  spiri- 
tually, but  by  the  spirit ;  and  without  this  spirit,  which 
searches  the  deep  things  of  God,  and  reveals  them  to  us, 
Christians  are  unable  to  give  the  sense  of  the  word  of  God 
in  their  families,  and  among  their  friends,  and  acquaint- 
ance, and  are  also  ashamed  to  do  it.  Whereas,  the  Spirit 
of  God  gives  us  both  ability  and  boldness  :  as  Aquila  and 
Priscilla  his  wife,  did  not  only  speak  the  word  in  their  fami- 
ly, but  also  took  Apollos,  a  minister,  home,  when  they  per- 
ceived him  somewhat  ignorant  in  the  mystery  of  Christ, 
and  instructed  him  in  the  way  of  God  more  perfectly. 

2.  They  have  need  of  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  to  en- 
able them  to  speak  the  word  of  God  in  public,  as  every 
Christian  may  do,  if  he  come  where  people  are  ignorant  of 
God's  word,  and  there  are  no  ministers  to  do  it.  This  I 
say,  in  such  a  case,  we  may  do  by  virtue  of  his  anointing 
with  the  Spirit ;  and  for  this  you  may  see  the  practice  of 
Stephen  and  Philip,  who  were  but  deacons,  and  not  elders 
or  ministers,  and  yet  published  the  word,  where  the  peo- 
ple were  ignorant ;  yea,  you  may  see,  Acts  viii,  how  all  the 
disciples,  except  the*  apostles,  were,  by  reason  of  a  great  per- 
secution, scattered  throughout  the  regions  of  Judea  and 
Samaria,  and  they  that  were  so  scattered,  went  every  wherCy 
preaching  the  word,  because  the  people  among  which  they 


54  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

were,  were  ignorant,  and  there  was  no  bod}^  else  to  do  it. 
And  God,  having  made  known  Christ  unto  them,  they 
could  not  but  declare  him  unto  others :  the  love,  both  of 
Christ,  and  of  their  brethren,  constraining  them.  But  this 
is  in  case  of  necessity,  and  where  other  faithful  Christians 
are  absent :  otherwise,  when  Christians  are  present,  no  man 
can  take  that  to  himself,  without  the  consent  of  all,  which 
belongs  to  ail. 

Sixthly  :  All  Christians  stand  in  need  of  this  power  of 
the  Spirit,  to  enable  them  to  confess  the  word,  before 
kings,  and  rulers,  and  magistrates,  when  they  are  called 
thereunto.  Whereas,  without  this  power,  they  would  trem- 
ble, and  bite  in  the  truth.  In  Alatt.  x.  Christ  tells  his 
disciples ,  that  they  shallbe  brought  before  governors  and  kings, 
Jbr  his  name'' s  sake.  But,  saith  he,  verse  19.  When  they  shall 
deliver  you  up,  take  no  thought ,  hotv,  or  what  ye  shall  speak; 
Jorit  shall  he  given  you  in  that  same  hour,  what  ye  shall  speak. 
For  it  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your  Father  that 
speaketh  in  you.  Here  Christ  tells  his  disciples  that  they 
should  be  brought  before  great  men,  yea,  before  the  great- 
est in  the  world,  to  give  testimony  to  his  truth.  And 
surely,  it  is  a  very  hard  thing,  for  a  man  not  to  be  daunted 
then,  but  to  be  unmoveable,  before  all  worldly  power  and 
glory,  and  all  the  terrible  frowns  and  threats  of  mighty 
men.  Now,  saith  Christ,  at  such  a  time,  when  you  are  to 
speak  before  the  armed  power  of  the  world,  be  not  troubled 
beforehand,  how,  or  what  to  say.  For  if  you  have  Christ 
and  his  spirit  in  your  hearts,  you  cannot  want  words  in 
your  mouths.  And  the  truth  which  you  profess  is  most 
glorious  when  it  is  most  naked,  and  destitute  of  the  gar- 
nishings  of  human  eloquence  and  wisdom.  And  therefore 
be  not  fearful  beforehand,  no,  nor  y'et  careful,  touching 
what  you  shall  say  ;yb/*  it  shall  be  given  you  in  that  same  hour,  ■ 
in  that  same  moment ;  you  shall  have  most  present  help. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  55 

How  so  ?ybr  it  is  not  yc  that  speak,  but  the  spirit  of  your  Fa- 
ther t/iat  dwells  in  you.  The  spirit  of  truth  that  dwells  in 
you,  shall  enable  you  to  speak  the  words  of  truth,  when 
you  are  called  to  it.  And  though  you,  it  may  be,  are 
plain  and  mean  men,  and  your  lips  would  tremble,  and  be 
quite  closed  up  before  such  an  assembly  of  power  and 
majesty :  yet  God's  spirit  shall  give  you  a  mouth  to  speak 
even  then.  And  because,  if  you  were  only  supplied  with 
a  mouth  to  speak  at  such  a  time,  you  would  be  ready  to 
speak  rashly,  and  foolishly,  to  the  great  prejudice  and 
disadvantage  of  the  truth,  therefore  he  will  give  you  not 
only  a  mouth,  but  wisdom  too :  and  he  himself  will  ma- 
nage his  own  cause  with  your  mouths.  And  you  shall  so 
speak,  as  all  your  adversaries  shall  not  he  able  to  resist  the 
truth  that  you  speak  ;  but  shall  be  so  convinced  in  their  con- 
sciences, that  their  tongues  shall  not  know  what  to  say- 
You  shall  have  a  mouth  and  wisdom,  and  they  shall  want 
both. 

And  thus  have  many  poor,  mean,  simple  Christians, 
when  brought  before  rulers  and  magisirates,  been  able  to 
carry  out  the  truth  in  that  strength,  that  all  their  adver- 
saries have  been  put  to  silence  and  shame,  as  you  maA 
see  in  a  multitude  of  examples  in  the  Book  of  iSIartyrs. 
And  all  this  they  did,  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  coming 
upon  them. 

Seventhly  and  lastly  :  All  Christians  stand  in  need  of  the 
power  of  the  Spirit,  to  overcome  afflictions  and  persecu- 
tions, from  which  it  is  impossible  they  should  be  free  in 
this  world,  they  being  contrary  to  the  world,  and  the 
whole  world  to  them.  A  natural  man  who  hath  no 
strength  in  himself,  but  his  own  strength,  faints  and  lltils 
under  affliction  and  persecution  :  but  the  faithful  have 
in  them  strength  above  natural  strength,  strength  above 
the  strength  of  men,  even  the  strength  of  the  Spirit  com- 
ing on  them,  and  so  they  endure  and  overcome.     Our 


f 


56  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

spirits  are  weak  spirits,  and  are  conquered  by  every  evil ; 
but  when  they  are  strengthened  by  the  power  of  God's 
Spirit,  they  are,  over  all  evils,  more  than  conquerors.  And 
this  is  one  thing  observable,  between  natural  and  spiritual 
strength,  in  the  overcoming  of  evil.  Natural  strength 
seeks  always  to  throw  off  the  evil,  and  so  it  prevails  ;  but 
spiritual  strength  never  seeks  the  removing  of  the  evil,  but 
let  the  evil  be  what  it  will,  it  stands  to  it,  and  overcomes 
it.  For  the  strength  of  the  Spirit  is  able,  easily  to  over- 
come all  evils  that  can  happen  to  flesh  and  blood,  whether 
they  arise  from  earth  or  hell.  And  thus  those  blessed 
Martyrs  mentioned,  Hebr.  xi.  and  thousands  and  ten  thou- 
sands of  their  consorts  since,  have  overcome  cruel  mock- 
ings  and  scourgings,  and  bonds,  and  imprisonment,  and 
stoning,  and  sawing  in  sunder,  and  slaying  with  the  sword, 
and  all  the  woes  of  poverty  and  want,  and  banishment, 
and  of  living  in  wildernesses  and  caves,  and  dens  of  the 
earth ;  these  and  all  other  evils,  they  have  mightily  over- 
come, by  this  only  power  of  the  Spirit  coming  upon 
them.  Thus  we  stand  in  need  of  the  power  of  the  Spirit, 
to  overcome  affliction  and  persecution  ;  and  how  much 
power  we  have,  in  affliction  and  persecution,  to  endure 
them,  and  overcome  them,  just  so  much  of  the  power  of  the 
Spirit  we  have,  and  no  more. 

And  thus  also  have  I  declared  unto  you  what  necessity 
all  Christians  have  of  the  power  of  the  Spirit  coming  upon 
them,  as  well  as  ministers.  And  this  was  to  strengthen  the 
use  of  exhortation. 

The  second  use  is  for  information  and  instruction,  after 
this  manner.  If  the  receiving  of  the  Spirit  be  the  recei- 
ving of  power,  then  it  clearly  informs  us,  that  the  May  to 
partake  of  this  power,  is  to  obtain  this  spirit ;  and  the 
way  to  increase  this  power,  is  to  increase  this  spirit.  I 
shall  endeavour  to  speak  to  both  these  things,  and  so  shall 
conclude. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  57 

1.  The  way  to  obtain  this  power,  is  to  obtain  the 
Spirit. 

And  that  we  may  obtain  the  Spirit,  we  must  first  prepare 
ourselves  to  receive  the  Spirit. 

Now  this  preparation  doth  not  stand  (as  Papists  teach, 
and  many  ignorant  persons  among  ourselves  think)  in 
sweeping  the  soul  from  sin,  and  then  strewing  it  with 
graces,  that  so  we  may  be  fit  to  receive  the  Spirit. 

For  first,  The  sweeping  of  the  soul  from  sin,  is  not  a 
work  of  our  own,  before  the  coming  of  the  Spirit,  but  a 
work  of  the  Spirit  itself,  after  it  is  come.  For  no  flesh 
can  clear  the  soul  of  one  sin ;  it  is  the  Spirit  must  do  that. 

And  secondly.  For  the  strewing  of  the  soul  with  grace, 
neither  is  this  a  work  of  our  own,  but  a  work  of  the  Spirit 
itself,  after  it  is  come.  For  the  Spirit  itself  brings  all 
grace  with  it ;  and  before  the  coming  of  the  Spirit,  there 
is  no  grace  at  all. 

So  that,  we  cannot  by  any  acts  of  our  own,  prepare 
ourselves  to  receive  the  Spirit ;  but  only  by  the  Spirit  we 
prepare  ourselves  to  receive  the  Spirit.  For  it  is  not  any 
work  of  our  own,  upon  ourselves,  but  the  immediate  work 
ot  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  us,  that  can  make  us  fit  to  receive 
himself.  It  lies  wholly  in  his  own  power  and  goodness, 
first,  to  prepare  in  us  a  place  for  himself,  and  then  after  to 
receive  and  entertain  himself,  in  that  place  he  hath  so 
prepared.  Now  the  works  of  the  Spirit,  whereby  he  first 
prepares  us  for  himself,  and  then  entertains  himself  in  us, 
are  these  two  especially. 

1.  He  empties  us;  and  2,  He  fills  us  with  himself, 
whom  he  hath  made  empty. 

1.  He  empties  us.  And  this  emptying  is  the  first  and 
chief  work  of  the  Spirit  upon  the  elect,  whereby  he  pre- 
pares them  to  receive  himself.  For  the  more  empty  a 
man  is  of  other  things,  the  more   capable  he  is  of  the 

Spirit.    If  you  would  fill  a  vessel  with  any  other  liquor  than 

H 


.A 


58  '       CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

it  holds,  you  must  first  empty  it  of  ail  that  is  in  it  before ; 
if  you  would  fill  it  with  wine,  you  must  first  empty  it  of 
beer  or  water,  if  any  such  liquor  be  in  it.  For  two  mate- 
rial things  cannot  possibly  subsist  in  the  same  place,  at  the 
same  time,  the  substances  of  each  bemg  safe  and  sound. 
And  so,  if  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  God,  must  come  into 
us ;  all  mortal  and  unstable  creatures,  together  with  sin 
and  ourselves,  and  whatever  else  is  in  us,  must  go  forth. 
Human  reason,  and  human  wisdom,  and  righteousness, 
and  power,  and  knowledge,  cannot  receive  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit :  but  we  must  be  emptied  of  these,  if  ever  we  would 
receive  him. 

We  must  thus  suffer  ourselves  to  be  prepared  by  the 
Spirit,  to  receive  the  Spirit:  but  with  this  caution,  jThat 
when  the  Spirit  of  God  hath  wrought  this  in  us,  we  do 
not  attribute  it  to  ourselves,  as  our  own  work,  nor  think 
any  thing  of  ourselves,  but  descend  into  our  own  meer 
nothing.  Otherwise  we  shall  be  a  hindrance  to  the  Spirit, 
that  he  cannot  work  in  us  after  a  more  excellent  manner. 

And  when  a  man  is  thus  empty  of  himself,  and  of  other 
things,  then  he  becomes  poor  i?i  spirit,  and  such  the  Spirit 
alwavs  fills,  and  descends  into  with  a  wonderful  and  irre- 
sistible  power,  and  fills  the  outer  and  inner  man,  and  all 
the  superior  and  inferior  faculties  of  the  soul,  with  himself, 
and  all  the  things  of  God. 

And  this  is  the  second  work  of  the  Spirit,  to  fill  those 
whom  he  hath  emptied.  Now  the  usual  and  ordinary 
means,  through  which  -he  Spirit  doth  this,  are  these 
three. 

1.  The  hearing  of  the  word  preached.  But  here  w'e  must 
distinguish  of  the  word.  For  the  law  is  the  w^ord  of  God; 
but  St.  Pa2//saith,  that  by  that  word  the  Spirit  is  not  given, 
but  by  the  word  of  the  gospel.  And  therefore,  how  beau- 
tiful are  the  feet  of  them  that  bring  the  gospel  of  peace  !  for 
nothing  is  so  sweet  and  precious  as  the  word  of  the  gospel. 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  59 

which  brings  with  it  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  you  may  see, 
^cts  X.  44.  where  it  is  said,  that  whilst  Peter  yet  spake,  the 
Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  that  heard  the  xvord.  And  there- 
fore also  the  gospel  is  called,  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  : 
because,  as  it  proceeds  from  the  Spirit,  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
gives  utterance,  so  it  also  conveys  the  spirit  to  the  faith- 
ful.  Now  the  gift  of  tongues  and  miracles,  and  other 
such  like  gifts,  are  at  the  present  ceased  in  the  church  •. 
but  the  gift  of  the  spirit  is  not  ceased  ;  and  this  the  Lord 
still  joins  with  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  that  he  may  keep 
in  our  hearts  the  due  respect  of  this  ordinance. 

2.  Means,  is  faith  in  the  ^\'ord  heard.  For  it  is  not 
every  one  that  hears  the  word,  that  receives  th^  spirit : 
but  only  they  that  hear  with  the  hearing  of  faith.  For 
if  thou  hear  the  word  of  the  gospel  a  thousand  times,  and 
wan  test  faith,  thou  shalt  never  receive  the  spirit ;  for  un- 
belief shuts  up  the  heart  against  the  spirit ;  and  ever  op- 
poses and  resists  the  spirit,  and  never  receives  it.  But  faith 
opens  the  heart  to  receive  the  spirit. 

By  faith  we  lay  hold  on  Christ  in  the  word ;  and 
through  our  union  with  Christ,  we  obtain  the  spirit.  For 
we  have  not  the  spirit  immediately  in  itself,  but  in  the 
flesh  of  Christ.  And  when  we,  by  faith,  are  made  the  flesh 
of  Christ,  then  we  partake  of  that  Spirit  that  dwells  in  the 
flesh  of  Christ. 

Now  through  these  two  things,  the  word  and  faith,  the 
spirit  communicates  to  us  a  new  birth  ;  it  begets  us  unto 
God  :  and  so  we,  partaking  of  the  nature  of  God,  partake 
also  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  They  that  are  born  of  men, 
have  nothing  in  them  but  the  spirit  of  men  ;  but  they  that 
are  born  of  God,  have  the  Spirit  of  God.  That  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh,  is  flesh,  and  hath  no  spirit  in  it ;  but  that 
which  is  born  of  the  spirit^'ig  spirit,  and  hath  spirit  in  it.  So 
that  there  is  no  means  to  partake  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 


60  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

but  by  being  born  of  God  :   and  the  means  by  which  we 
are  born  of  God,  are  the  word  and  faith. 

3.  Means  is  prayer.  For  Christ  hath  said,  the  Spirit  is 
given  to  them  that  ask.  And  the  disciples  when  they  were 
to  receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit,  continued  with  one  ac- 
cord in  prayer  and  supplication^  Acts  i.  14.  For  God,  who 
hath  promised  to  give  us  his  Spirit,  hath  commanded  us 
to  ask  it ;  and  whe^i  God  hath  a  mind  to  give  us  the  Spirit, 
he  puts  us  in  mind  to  ask  it :  yea,  God  gives  us  the  Spirit, 
that  by  it  we  may  ask  the  Spirit,  seeing  no  man  can  ask 
the  Spirit,  but  by  the  Spirit.  Now  in  asking  the  Spirit, 
there  is  no  difference,  whether  we  ask  it  of  the  Father  or  of 
the  Son,  seeing  the  spirit  proceeds  from  both,  and  is  the 
Spirit  of  both.  And  therefore  Christ  promiseth  the  send- 
ing of  the  Spirit  from  both.  From  the  Father,  John  xiv. 
The  Spirit  which  the  Father  will  send  in  my  name.  From 
himself,  Johnxvi.  Except  I  go,  the  Comforter  willnot  come: 
but  if  I  go,  Iwill  send  him  to  you.  So  that  both  the  Father 
and  the  Son  give  the  spirit ;  and  it  is  no  matter  whether 
we  ask  him  either  of  the  Father,  or  of  the  Son,  so  we 
ask  him  of  the  Father  in  the  Son,  or  of  the  Son  in  the 
Father. 

And  thus  you  see  the  way  to  obtain  this  power,  is  to 
obtain  the  spirit ;  and  also  by  what  means  this  is  done. 

2.  The  way  to  increase  this  power,  is  to  increase  this  s})i- 
rit.  And  therefore  it  is  as  needful  for  us  to  know  the 
means  to  increase  the  spirit,  as  to  receive  it.  And  they 
among  others  are  these. 

1.  To  increase  faith.  For  the  more  we  believe,  the  more 
we  receive  of  Christ ;  and  the  more  we  receive  of  Clirist, 
the  more  we  receive  of  the  spirit  in  Christ.  For  faith  doth 
not  apprehend  bare  Christ, -but  Christ  with  his  Spirit,  be- 
cause these  are  inseparable.  Nyyv  always,  according  to  the 
measure  of  Christ  in  us,  is  the  measure  of  the  spirit ; 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH. 


6\ 


and  according  to  the  measure  of  faith,  is  the  measure  of 
Christ  in  us. 

2.  To  be  much  in  prayer.  For  the  prayer  of  the  spirit, 
increases  the  spirit.  The  more  ue  have  the  spirit,  the 
more  we  pray  ;  and  the  more  we  pray,  the  more  we  receive 
the  spirit.  So  that  when  we  have  the  spirit  in  truth,  we 
shall  have  daily  a  greater  and  greater  increase  of  it,  till  we 
be  filled  with  the  spirit.  For  the  Spirit  comes  from  Christ, 
in  whom  is  the  fulness  of  the  spirit,  and  carries  us  back 
again  to  Christ,  that  we  may  receive  still  more  of  the 
Spirit.  And  so  by  the  spirit  that  is  in  our  hearts,  we  la}'' 
hold  on  the  Spirit  that  is  in  Christ,  and  receive  more  and 
more  of  it. 

3.  To  turn  ourselves  daily  from  the  creature  to  God. 
For  the  more  ^ve  enlarge  our  hearts  towards  the  creature, 
the  less  capable  are  we  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  For  to  live 
much  upon  the  creature,  is  to  live  much  according  to  the 
flesh,  and  this  quenches  and  straitens  the  spirit  in  us. 
And  therefore  we  must  live  abstractedly  from  the  crea- 
tures :  and  so  use  them,  as  if  we  did  not  use  them  :  and  so 
mind  them,  as  if  we  did  not  mind  them  ;  and  abandon 
the  contents  and  satisfactions  of  flesh  and  blood,  and  wean 
ourselves  from  all  things  but  the  necessities  of  nature.  And 
the  more  free  and  loose  we  are  from  the  creature,  the  more 
capable  are  we  of  God's  Spirit,  and  the  operations  of  it. 
He  that  lives  at  greatest  distance  from  the  world,  and  hath 
least  communion  with  the  things  of  it,  hath  always  the 
greatest  proportion  of  God's  Spirit.  For  as  the  apostle 
Sdith,  If  any  man  love  the  worlds  the  love  of  the  Father  (that 
is,  the  Holy  Spirit)  is  not  in  him  :  so,  if  any  man  love  the 
Father,  the  love  of  the  world  is  not  in  him  :  now  the  more 
any  one  loves  the  Father,  the  less  he  loves  the  world ; 
and  the  less  he  loves  the  world,  the  more  the  spirit  dwells 
in  him. 

4.  To  cease  daily  from  our  own  works.     The  more  we 


62  CHRIST'S  SPIRIT 

act  ourselves,  the  less  doth  the  spirit  act  in  us.  And 
therefore  we  must  from  day  to  day,  cease  from  our  own 
works,  from  the  operations  of  our  own  minds,  and  un- 
derstandings, and  wills,  and  affections,  and  must  not  be 
the  authors  of  our  own  actions.  For  we  being  flesh  our- 
selves, whatever  we  do  is  fleshly,  seeing  the  effect  cannot 
be  better  than  the  cause.  And  if  we  mingle  the  works  of 
our  flesh,  with  the  works  of  God's  Spirit,  he  will  cease 
from  working  in  us.  But  the  less  we  act  in  ourselves,  ac- 
cording to  the  principles  of  our  corrupt  nature,  the  more 
will  the  spirit  act  in  us,  according  to  the  principles  of  the 
Divine  nature.  But  our  own  works  are  always  a  mighty 
impediment  to  the  operations  of  the  Spirit. 

5.  To  increase  the  Spirit  in  us,  we  must  give  up  our- 
selves to  the  Spirit,  that  he  only  may  work  in  us,  without 
the  least  opposition  and  resistance  from  us.  That,  as  the 
soul  acts  all  in  the  body,  and  the  body  doth  nothing  of 
itseff,  but  is  subject  to  the  soul  in  all  things  :  so  the  spirit 
may  do  all  in  us,  and  we  may  do  nothing  of  ourselves 
without  the  spirit,  but  be  subject  to  the  spirit  in  all  its 
operations.  For  the  Spirit  of  God  cannot  work  excel- 
lently in  us,  except  it  work  all  in  all  in  us.  And  in  such 
a  man,  in  whom  the  spirit  hath  full  power,  the  spirit 
works  many  wonderful  things,  that  he,  according  to  hu- 
man sense,  is  ignorant  of.  For  as  the  soul  doth  secretly 
nourish,  and  cherish,  and  refresh  the  body,  and  disperses 
life  and  spirits  through  it,  even  when  the  body  is  asleep, 
and  neither  feel^  it,  nor  knows  it :  so  the  Holy  Spirit, 
dwelling  in  the  soul,  by  a  secret  kind  of  operation,  works 
many  things  in  it,  for  the  quickening  and  renewing  it, 
whilst  it  oftentimes,  for  the  present,  is  not  so  much  as  sen- 
sible of  it. 

6.  The  sixth  means  to  increase  the  spirit,  is  to  attri- 
bute the  works  of  the  Spirit  to  the  Spirit,  and  not  to  our- 
selves.  For  if  we  attribute  to  the  flesh,  the  works  of  the 


A  CHRISTIAN'S  STRENGTH.  63 

Spirit;  and  take  from  the  Spirit  the  glory  of  his  own 
works,  he  will  work  no  longer  in  us.  Wherefore  we 
must  ascribe  unto  the  Spirit  the  whole  glory  of  his  own 
works,  and  acknowledge  that  we  ourselves  are  nothing, 
and  can  do  nothing ;  and  that  it  is  He  only  that  is  all  in 
all,  and  works  all  in  all :  and  we  ourselves,  among  all  the 
excellent  works  of  the  Spirit  in  us,  must  so  remain,  as  if 
we  were,  and  wrought  nothing  at  all ;  that  so,  all  that  is 
of  flesh  and  blood  may  be  laid  low  in  us,  and  the  spirit 
alone  may  be  exalted :  first  to  do  all  in  us ;  and  then,  to 
have  all  the  glory  of  all  that  is  done. 

And  thus  you  see  the  means  to  increase  the  spirit,  and 
so  consequently  strength,  as  w^ell  as  to  get  it.  And  by 
the  daily  use  and  improvement  of  these  means,  we  may 
attain  to  a  great  degree  of  spiritual  strength,  that  we  may 
walk  and  not  be  weary,  and  may  run  and  not  faint,  and  may 
mount  up  as  eagles,  yea,  and  may  walk  as  angels  among 
men,  and  as  the  powers  of  heaven  upon  earth ;  to  His 
praise  and  honour,  who  first  communicates  to  us  his  own 
strength,  and  then,  by  that  strength  of  his  own,  works  all 
our  works  in  us  :  and  thus  is  He  glorified  in  his  saints,  and 
admired  in  all  them  that  believe. 


UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED, 

WHETHER  IT  BE  FOUND 

IN  THE  GOSPEL, 

OR 

IN  THE  PRACTICE  OF  THE  CHURCHES 

OP 

CHRIST. 


BY  WILLIAM  DELL, 

Minister  of  the  Gospel. 


UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED. 

*2C0R.  IV.  13. 

TFe  having  the  same  spirit  of  faith,  according  as  it  is  ivritfen,  I  he- 
lieved,  and  therefore  have  I  spoken  ;  ice  also  believe,  and  tJierefore 
fipeak. 

OBSERVING  that  our  brethren  of  Scotland,  together 
\vith  tlie  Assembly  of  Divines,  and  tlie  rest  of  the 
Presbyterian  judgment,  do  often,  both  in  their  discourse 
and  writings,  exceedingly  press  for  uniformity  ;  I  have 
been  urged  in  my  spirit  to  think  upon  the  matter,  and 
to  consider  whether  there  could  be  an}'  such  thing  found 
in  the  word  of  the  New  Testament,  or  in  the  practice 
of  the  churches  of  Christ.  And  for  my  part,  I  ingenuous- 
ly profess,  I  cannot  yet  discover  it :  and  would  be  glad  if 
any  would  instruct  me  further  in  this  particular,  so  he  do  it 
from  the  v/ord. 

Now,  uniformity,  what  is  it,  but  "an  unity  of  form?" 
and  the  form  they  mean,  no  doubt,  is  outward:  for  the 
inwardjbrm,  as  it  cannot  be  known  by  the  outward  senses; 
neither  can  in  it  be  accomplished  i^y  outward  power.  And 
therefore,  till  I  know  their  meaning  better,  I  conceive,  that 
by  uniformity,  the}'  understand  an  unity  of  outward  form 
in  the  churches  of  God  ;  yea,  some  of  them  do  declare  so 
much,  calling  the  thing  they  would  have,  external  unifor- 
mity. 

Now  such  a  thing  as  this  (after  so  much  meditation  and 
recollection,  as  my  other  employments,  and  the  many  dis- 


68  UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED. 

tractions  that  necessarily  attend  my  present  condition,  will 
permit  me)  I  cannot  discern,  in  the  word  of  the  gospel. 
For  Christ,  speaking  of  the  church  of  the  New  Testament, 
saith,  The  hour  cometh^  andnoxv  is^  when  the  true  worship- 
pers shall  worship  the  Father  in  Spirit  and  Truths  for  the 
Father  seeketh  such  to  worship  him,  God  is  a  Spirit^  and  they 
that  worship  him^  must  worship  him  in  Spirit  and  Truth, 
John  iv.  23.  In  which  words  it  is  most  evident,  that  the  wor- 
ship of  God  in  the  time  of  the  New  Testament,  is  inward  and 
spiritual,  consisting  in  faith,  hope,  love,  apd  in  prayer, 
which  is  the  operation  of  the  three  former.  Sec.  And  so,  is 
so  far  from  uniformity  as  it  hath  be^n  explicated,  and  as 
they  understand  it,  that  it  is  not  at  all  capable  of  it.  And 
therefore  I  cannot  but  wonder  at  the  strange  workings  of 
darkness  in  the  minds  of  men,  who  would  have  an  external 
uniformity,  in  a  worship  that  is  inward  and  spiritual ;  and  of 
which,  the  outward  form  is  no  part  at  all,  but  is  merely  ac- 
cidental, and  so  absolutely  various. 

Again  :  as  I  find  not  this  uniformity  in  the  doctrine  of 
the  gospel,  so  neither  in  the  practice  of  the  Saints,  who 
had  the  spirit  of  the  gpspel,  as  that  practice  is  represented 
to  us  in  the  word. 

In  Acts  i.  14,  I  read,  how  the  apostles  being  together 
with  the  women,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  Jesus,  and  his 
brethren,  conti?iued,  xvith  one  accord  or  mind,  in  prayer 
and  supplication :  and  Acts  ii.  44,  and  46.  how  all  that 
believed  were  together^  and  continued  daily ^  with  ofte  mind 
in  the  temple y  and  did  break  bread  from  house  to  house ^ 
8V.  And  in  all  this  there  was  unity,  but  no  external  uni- 
formity, neither  name  nor  thing.  Again,  Acts  iv.  23. 
Peter  and  John  being  let  go  by  the  magistrates,  xvent  to 
their  own  company ^  (which  many  of  our  clergy  would 
term  a  conventicle)  ajul  reported  all  that  the  chief  priests 
and  elders  had  said  to  them  ;  and  when  they  heard  it,  they 
lift  up  their  voice  to  God,  with  one  mind,  and  prayed. 


UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED.  69 

4 

Here  was  inward  unity,  in  faith,  and  love,  and  spiritual 
prayer,  but  no  external  uniformity  ;  and  verse  32.  77ie  jiiuL 
titude  of  them  that  believed^  were  of  one  hearty  and  one  soul. 
Unity  ^till,  but  nothing  of  external  uniformity.  Further, 
we  read,  Acts^  chap.  vii.  and  chap.  viii.  that  Stephen  and 
Philips  who,  by  the  church  were  ordained  decons,  and 
were  to  serve  only  for  the  ministry  of  the  table,  yet  by 
virtue  of  the  anointing,  preached  the  word  of  God  freely, 
and  powerfully  :  and  how  all  the  members  of  the  church 
oi  Jerusalem,  who  were  neither  ministers  nor  deacons,  be- 
ing scattered  abroad  by  persecution,  went  preaching  the 
word  every  where  where  they  came,  in  that  case  of  neces- 
sity :  the  unction  of  the  spirit,  of  which  all  believers  par- 
take alike,  being  one  fundamental  ground  of  such  ministry, 
where  there  are  no  believers  to  call  to  the  office  :  and  in 
this,  though  there  was  unity  of  faith,  spirit,  and  doctrine, 
yet  I  am  sure  they  will  say,  there  was  no  such  uniformity 
as  they  would  have.  Again,  Acts  xx.  Paul,  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  preach^^  to  the  disciples  of  Macedonia,  from  the 
evening  till  midnight,  (which  Dr.  Pocklington,  in  a  printed 
sermon,  saith,  was  out  of  order)  and  after,  brake  bread,  and 
did  eat,  and  talked  with  them  a  long  while,  till  break  of 
day  :  and  going  from  thence,  he  arrived  at  Ephesus,  and 
there  called  the  elders  of  the  church  together,  and  appeals 
to  them  after  what  manner  he  had  been  with  them,  to  wit, 
serving  the  Lord  with  all  humility  of  mind ^  andrvith  many 
tears  and  temptations,  ^c.  and  how  he  had  held  back  no- 
thing prof  table  for  them,  but  had  taught  them  publicly,  and 
from  house  to  house,  (which  I  wish  were  more  in  use  now-a- 
days,  if  it  might  obtain  so  much  leave  from  uniformity) 
a7id  had  preached  to  them  repentance  towards  God,  and  faith 
towardsour  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  our  chief  work  towardsGod, 
since  our  fall  and  corruption,  being  repentance,  which  is 
the  change  of  the  creature  towards  God,  through  God's 
own  work  in  the  creature  :  and  this  is  not  done  without 


70  UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED. 

the  sorrow  of  the  flesh  ;  and  our  chief  work  towards  Christ, 
who  is  given  to  us  as  a  head,  being  faith  or  union.  And 
in  the  end,  exhorts  the  presbyters  to  take  heed  to  themselves^ 
who,  (according  to  the  church-principles  of  this  age,  want 
no  admonition  themselves,  seeing  they  are  become  a  pe- 
remptory rule  to  all  others)  and  to  the  Jlocks  over  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  {2iT\d  not  Y>^trov\s)  had  ?nade  them  overseers,  to  feed 
ihechiirch  ofGod^xvhich  he  had  purchased  with  hisownblood, 
ye.  But  in  all  this,  neither  practises  himself,  nor  preaches 
to  them,  nor  commands  them  to  preach  to  others,  or  im- 
pose upon  others  any  such  kind  of  thing  as  external  uni- 
formity. And  so  surely,  they  that  so  vehemently  urge  this 
thing,  that  they  make  it  all  in  all  in  their  reformation, 
have  some  other  teacher  than  the  apostle,  who  being  taught 
of  Christ,  as  Christ  was  taught  of  God,  yet  knew  no  such 
thing  at  all  in  the  worship  of  God,  as  uniformity. 

And  yet  further,  tliat  the  world,  if  it  be  possible,  may 
be  the  more  convinced,  observe  a  little  more  seriously  the 
practice  of  Christ  and  the  saints,  in  reference  to  this  point, 
and  you  shall  see  nothing  of  external  uniformity.  See 
this  in  the  prayer  of  Christ,  (prayer  for  the  duty  itself, 
being  nothing,  but  so  much  spiritual  worship,  as  being  the 
voice  of  the  Spirit  in  the  flesh,  both  in  head  and  mem- 
bers) this,  Christ  sometimes  performed  with  his  eyes  lifted 
up  to  heaven,  sometimes  being  prostrate  with  his  body  on 
the  earth,  and  so  several  times,  several  ways :  and  as  he, 
so  the  saints  have  ;  some  prayed  standing  and  lifting  up 
their  hands,  as  Moses ;  some  kneeling  and  lifting  up  their 
hands,  as  Solomon;  some  standing  and  not  lifting  up 
their  eyes,  as  the  Publican^  &c.  And  what  external  unifor- 
mity in  all  this?  And  as  for  praying,  so  for  preaching; 
Christ  sometimes  preached  in  a  ship,  sometimes  on  the 
shore,  sometimes  in  the  city  Jerusalem,  sometimes  in  the 
Temple,  sometimes  in  the  desert,  sometimes  early,  some- 
times late  ;  as  if  he  intended  on  purpose  to  witness  against 


UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED.  71 

that  piece  of  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  which  in  after  ages- 
should  be  called  uniformity.  So  Paul  preached,  sometimes 
on  the   Jew's  sabbath,  sometimes  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  sometimes  each  day  of  the  week,  sometimes  in  the 
day,   sometimes  in  the  night;    sometimes  prayed   in  the 
hoLisc,  sometimes  on  the  shore  :  he  circumcised  Timothy 
among  the  weak,  refused  to  circumcise  Jitiis  among  the 
perverse  ;  became  as  a  Jew  to  the  Jews^  as  a  Greek  to  the 
Greeks,  to  the  weak  as  weak,  to  the  strong  as  strong,  all 
things  to  all  men,  that  he  might  win  some  :  and  what  ex- 
ternal uniformity  was  here  ?  And  tlien  for  the  Sacraments, 
Christ  administered  the  Sacrament  of  the  supper  imme- 
diately alter  supper  ;  Paul  at  midnight,  and  it  may  be, 
others  in  the  morning,  or  at  noon  :  and  what  external 
uniformity  in  all  this  ?     And  for  government ;  sometimes 
the  apostles  met  together  into  a  council,  and  in  that  council 
ordered  things,   not  of  their  own  heads,  or  by  plurality  of 
voices,  but  by  the  word  and  spirit ;  and  what  they  order- 
ed by  the  word  and  spirit,  they  put  in  execution  by  the 
power  of  the  word  and  spirit,   and  not  by  the  power  of 
the   world-     At  other  times,  ministers  and  believers  did 
thmgs  by  the  word  and  spirit  among  themselves,  by  the 
mutual  consent  of  both ;  or  else   believers  alone  among 
themselves,  if  there  were  no  ministers  present.  And  where 
the  number  of  believers  were  more,  they  stood  in  need  of 
more  officers :  and  where  fewer,  of  fewg-  officers  ;  and  ail 
these  things,  are  the  free  ordering  of  the  churches,  who 
have  Christ,  the  Spirit,  and  the  Father,  among  them,  and 
in  them,  and  so  are  taken  out  of  the  bondage  of  men,  into 
the  freedom  of  God.    That  truly  I  see  not  the  gospel  more 
setting  its  spirit    against   any  thing    of   antichrist,    tliaii 
against  this  point  of  exftrnal  uniformity.     For  if  we  have 
one  Lord,  Christ,   Spirit,   Faith,  Baptism,  and  God,  all 
other  things  are  free  to  the  churches,  as  God  shall  order  by 
them,  and  no  otherwise  ;  aud  the  reason,  and  wisdom,  ana 


72  UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED. 

prudence  of  man,  have  no  place  in  this  world,  where  the 
Sim  of  righteousness  shines,  as  the  only  light. 

But  against  this  that  hath  been  said,  do  lie  some  objec- 
tions ;  as  first, 

The  prophet  foretold  that  the  Lord  should  be  one,  and  his 
7\ame  one,  and  doth  not  this  imply  external  uniformity  ? 

I  answer,  nothing  less  :  for  the  apostle  explicates  plainly 
and  clearly,  what  it  is  to  have  the  Lord  one,  and  his  nanw 
one,  among  believers,  Ephesians  iv.  4,  5,  6.  where  he 
saith,  there  is  in  the  spiritual  church,  07ie  body,  and  one 
spirit,  one  hope  of  our  callings  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  bap- 
tism, one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  through  ally 
and  in  all.  Where  you  see,  that  among  believers  there 
is  a  manifold  unity,  but  no  external  uniformity  ;  yea,  the 
prayer  of  Christ  the  >on,  for  the  church,  unfolds  clearly 
the  promise  of  God  the  Father  to  the  church,  John  xvii. 
Christ  prays,  that  they  all  (who  are  many  among  them- 
selves, according  to  the  flesh)  7nay  be  one^  as  thou^  Father, 
art  in  me,  and  J  in  thee,  (that  is,  according  to  the  unity  of 
the  spirit,  not  external  uniformit}')  that  after  this  manner 
they  also  may  "be  one  i?i  us. 

But  again,  it  is  objected  out  of  1  Cor.  xiv.  that  the  apos- 
tle requires  that  all  things  may  be  done  in  the  church,  de- 
cently, and  in  order :  and  doth  not  this  imply  external  uni- 
formity ? 

I  answer,  that^they  will  hardly  admit  in  their  parish- 
churches,  such  a  decency  and  order  as  the  apostle  there 
means,  neither  are  they  capable  of  it.  For  he  saith  before, 
whoi  the  rvhole  church  is  come  together  into  some  place,  that 
all  may  prophesy  one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and  all  may 
he  comforted :  and  that  during  this  exercise  of  prophesying, 
if  any  thing  be  revealed  to  another,  the  former  to  give  place  : 
and  he  must  speak  that  hath  the  clearest  light,  seeing  the 
spirit,  to  whomsoever  it  is  given,  it  is  given  to  profit  with- 
al.    And  that  though  all  may  prophesy  one  by  one,  yet  all 


UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED.  73 

may  not  prophesy  at  once,  for  then  it  would  not  be  order, 
but  confusion,  which  the  apostle  would  have  avoided,  saying, 
Let  all  things  be  done  decently  ^and  in  order.  And  this  decen- 
cy too,  he  persuades  to  by  the  word,  he  doth  not  enforce 
by  secular  power  :  and  if  they  will  call  this  uniformity,  for 
believers  to  prophesy  one  after  another,  according  to  the 
variety  of  the  gifts  of  the  spirit,  and  not  many,  or  two  or 
three  at  once,  or  the  same  time,  we  willingly  agree  with 
them  :  but  how  far  this  thing  is  from  their  sense,  every 
one  knows. 

Thus  you  see  these  objections  answered,  and  I  am  con- 
fident there  are  no  more  can  be  brought,  but  may  as  clearly 
and  easily  be  answered  as  these. 

And  therefore,  I  say,  I  wonder,  and  wonder  again,  that 
we  having  covenanted  and  agreed  together  solemnly,  to 
endeavour  for  a  government  most  agreeable  to  the  word  of 
God,  should  in  the  mean  time  be  left  so  void  of  the  spirit 
and  light  of  the  gospel,  as  to  fall  upon  external  uniformity, 
which  is  no-where  to  be  found  in  the  gospel,  nor  in  the 
practice  of  primitive  Christians. 

Yea,  while  I  consider  more  seriously  of  the  matter,  me- 
thinks  external  uniformity  is  a  monstrous  thing,  how  glo- 
rious soever  in  their  eyes  ;  and  not  to  be  found  either  in 
nature  or  in  grace,  either  in  Christ's  kingdom,  or  the  king- 
doms of  the  world. 

In  nature  is  no  external  uniformity  extended  to  all  the 
works  of  nature  ;  for  look  into  the  world,  and  see  if  there 
be  not  variety  of  forms ;  heavenly  and  earthly  bodies,  hav> 
ing  several  forms ;  and  in  the  earth,  each  bird,  beast,  tree, 
plant,  creature,  differs  one  from  another,  in  outward  form. 
If  the  whole  creation  should  appear  in  one  form,  or  ex- 
ternal uniformity,  what  a  monstrous  thing  would  it  be ; 
nothing  differing  from  the  first  chaos  !  But  the  variety  of 
forms  in  the  world,  is  the  beauty  of  the  world :    So  that 

K 


74  UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED. 

though  there  be  a  most  admirable  unity  among  all  the  crea- 
tures, yet  there  is  nothing  of  external  uniformity. 

Again,  as  there  is  no  external  uniformity  spread  over 
the  great  world,  so  nor  yet  over  the  little  world,  or  man. 
For  look  upon  a  man  consisting  of  head  and  members, 
unto  which  the  apostle  compares  the  church,  and  you  shall 
not  find  all  tlie  members  like  one  another,  neither  in  re- 
gard  of  their  outward  forms,  nor  operations :  for  the  hand 
doth  not  move  as  the  foot,  nor  the  foot  act  as  the  hand ; 
nnd  if  all  the  members  should  appear  and  act  in  one  form, 
what  a  monster  would  a  man  be  !  and  yet  among  the  mem- 
bers, though  there  be  no  external  uniformity,  yet  there  is 
admirable  unity. 

And  yet  again,  look  into  the  kingdoms  of  the  world, 
and  you  sh:ul  see  no  such  thing  in  them  as  external  uni- 
formity :  Here  in  Englajid  you  shall  observe  that  York  is 
not  governed  as  Hull^  nor  Hull  as  Hallifax,  nor  that  as 
Bristol^  &.C.  neither  is  one  county  governed  uniformly  as 
another ;  there  is  no  uniformity  in  the  government  of  Kent 
and  Essex  ;  nor  one  town  governed  like  another  ;  in  God- 
manchestcr,  the  youngest  son  inherits  ;  in  Huntingdon  the 
eldest :  nor  one  corporation  g^'erned  like  another,  nor 
one  company  in  the  city  governed  as  another ;  and  yet  be- 
tween all  counties,  cities,  towns,  corporations,  companies, 
there  is  unity,  though  no  external  uniformity.  Yea,  look 
upon  the  famous  city  of  London^  and  there  are,  it  may  be, 
an  hundred  thousand  families,  or  more  in  it,  and  each  one 
governed  after  a  several  manner  ;  and  among  all  these  fami- 
lies there  is  no  external  uniformity,  and  yet  they  all  agree 
well  enough  in  the  unity  of  a  city. 

Nay,  further,  to  bring  but  one  man  to  an  uniformity  of 
life  and  practice,  by  an  out^^ard  law,  would  be  the  most 
absolute  tjranr.y  in  the  world,  and  make  his  life  worse 
tiian  death.  To  compel  every  man  by  law,  every  day  in 
tiie  week,  or  every  Monday,  Tuesday,  8<:c.  in  the  week, 


UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED.  75 

to  an  uniformity  of  life,  that  he  shall  rise  at  the  same  time, 
use  the  same  postures,  speak  the  same  words,  eat  the  same 
food,  receive  the  same  physic,  sit,  and  stand,  and  walk, 
and  lie  down  at  the  same  set  times,  who  ever  heard  of  such 
a  cruel  bondage  ?  What  an  absurd  and  intolerable  thing- 
then  is  uniformity  in  the  life  of  a  man,  taking  away  all 
freedom  of  the  soul  ?  But  how  much  more  evil  and  in- 
tolerable is  uniformity  in  the  life  of  a  Christian,  or  of  the 
true  churches  of  Christ,  taking  away  all  freedom  of  the  Spi- 
rit of  God,  who  being  one  with  God,  works  in  the  freedom 
of  God,  and  is  not  to  be  bound  with  any  authoritative  or 
coercive  power,  of  poor,  dark,  ignorant,  vain,  foolish, 
proud,  and  sinful  men? 

What  now  then  do  the  Presbyters  mean  by  uniformity  "? 
Would  they  have  the  word  preached,  and  the  Sacraments 
administered,  and  the  name  of  God  called  on,  and  all  this 
done  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  in  the  churches  of  Christ  ?  this 
truly  is  unity,  and  not  uniformity ;  and  such  an  unity  as  no 
man  can  compel.  But  would  they  have  the  word  preached, 
the  name  of  God  called  on.  Sacraments  administered,  the 
spiritual  discipline  of  the  spiritual  church  managed,  the  vir- 
tues of  Christ,  and  graces  of  the  spirit  in  the  saints  exerci- 
sed, and  all  this  in  one  and  the  same  outward  form,  or  unifor- 
mity ?  Tliis  is  the  burden  of  the  saints,  the  bondage"  of  the 
church,  the  straitning  of  the  Spirit,  the  limiting  of  Christ, 
and  the  eclipsing  the  glory  of  the  Father.  And  how  wise 
soever  these  men  may  be  in  natural  and  carnal  things,  yet 
their  wisdom  is  but  foolishness  in  spiritual  things,  in  which 
there  is  no  more  uniformity  than  in  the  workings  of  the 
Spirit,  who  works  severally  in  several  saints,  and  several- 
ly in  the  same  saints,  at  several  times :  And  therefore  they 
that  would  tie  the  church  to  an  uniformity,  which  uorks 
not  of  itself,  but  as  the  Spirit  works  in  it,  let  them,  first 
tie  the  Spirit  to  an  uniformity,  and  we  are  contented.  But 
these  men  seem  to  run  a  sad  hazard,  who  would  thus  re- 


76  UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED. 

duce  the  workings  of  the  Spirit,  in  Cliristians  and  churches, 
to  an  outward  uniformity,  according  to  their  own  mind  and 
flmcy,  and  so  would  rule  and  order,  and  enlarge  and  strait- 
en the  Spirit  of  God  by  the  spirit  of  man  :  seeing  it  is  worse 
to  sin  against  Christ  in  the  Spirit,  than  against  Christ  in  the 
flesh. 

And  therefore,  till  I  be  otherwise  taught  by  the  word, 
I  cannot  conceive  that  there  ought  to  be,  or  is  possible  to 
be,  any  such  external  uniformity  in  the  churches  of  Christ, 
as  these  men  strive,  and  contend  for ;  I  will  not  say  are 
ready  to  fight  for :  but  that  several  churches  of  Christ, 
having  unity  of  doctrine,  faith,  the  spirit,  ordinances,  &c. 
may  have  divers  forms  of  outward  administrations,  as  God 
and  Christ  by  the  Spirit  shall  lead  them ;  and  that  every 
church  is  in  these  things  to  be  left  free,  and  no  church  for- 
ced by  any  outward  power,  to  follow  or  imitate  another 
church,  against  its  will,  not  being  freely  led  unto  it  by  the 
Spirit  of  God, 

Neither  do  I  think  tliat  God  hath  set  up  any  company 
of  men,  or  synod  in  the  world,  to  shine  to  a  whole  nation, 
so  that  all  people  shall  be  constrained  to  follow  their  judg- 
ment, and  to  walk  by  their  light :  seeing  other  ministers 
and  Christians  may  have  more  light  and  spirit  than  they. 
Neither  hath  Christ  promised  his  presence  and  Spirit,  to 
ministers  more  than  to  believers,  nor  more  to  an  hundred, 
than  two  or  three  :  And  if  two  or  three  Christians  in  the 
country,  being  met  together  in  the  name  of  Christ,  have 
Christ  himself,  with  his  word  and  Spirit  among  them,  they 
need  not  ride  many  miles  to  the  Assembly  at  London  to 
know  what  to  do,  or  how  to  carry  and  behave  themselves 
in  the  things  of  God.  And  therefore,  for  any  company 
<-)f  men,  of  what  repute  soever,  to  set  up  their  own  judg- 
ment in  a  kingdom,  for  a  preremptory  rule,  from  which 
no  man  must  vary,  and  to  compel  all  the  faithful  people 
of  God,  who  are  the  very  members  of  Jesus  Christ  him- 


UNIFORMITY  EXAMINED.  77 

self,  to  fall  down  before  it,  upon  pain  of  being  cast  into 
the  burning  fiery  furnace  of  their  indignation,  heated  seven 
times  more  hot  than  ordinary,  through  the  desired  access 
of  secular  power  to  their  power,  is  a  far  worse  work,  in 
my  eyes,  than  that  of  king  Nebuchadnezzar'' s  setting  up  a 
golden  image,  and  forcing  all  to  fall  down  before  it ;  see- 
ing spiritual  idolatry,  is  so  much  worse  than  corporal,  as 
the  spirit  is  better  than  the  flesh. 

And  therefore  I  do  think  (let  them  teach  me  better  by 
the  word  that  can)  that  uniformity,  the  great  Diana  of  the 
Presbyterians,  and  the  image  that  fells  down  from  the 
brain  and  fancy  of  man,  hath  no  footing  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, or  in  the  practice  of  the  churches  of  Christ :  And 
that  the  Presbyterian  uniformity,  is  near  akin  to  prelatical 
conformity,  and  is  no  other  than  the  same  thing  under 
another  word,  after  the  manner  of  prelacy  and  Presbytery  ; 
and  to  conclude  that  unity  is  Christian,  uniformity  anti- 
christian. 

'  And  this  I  have  only  hinted,  and  that  briefly,  among 
many  occasions,  to  discover  to  the  faithful,  that  some  of 
the  very  dregs  of  antichristianism  still  prevail  and  domi- 
neer, under  the  very  name  of  reformation  :  and  also  to 
give  occasion  to  men  of  more  spirit  and  abilities,  and 
leisure,  to  discourse  more  fully  to  this  point,  that  the  ser- 
pent's head  of  formality,  which  is  so  carefully  nourished  by 
human  reason,  may  be  crushed  in  pieces  by  the  power  of 
the  word. 

1  John,  ii.  27. 

The  anointing  which  ye  have  received  of  him  ^  abideth  in 
you  ;  and  ye  need  not  that  any  man  should  teach  you  :  buty  as 
the  same  anointing  teacheth  you  all  things^  and  is  truths 
and  is  no  lie :  and  even  as  it  hath  taught  you,  you  shall  abide 
in  him. 

The  spiritual  church  is  taught  by  the  anointing,  the  car- 
nal church  by  councils. 


I 


THE 

BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  TEACHING, 


3 
AND 


EMBELLISHMENT, 

OP  THE 

TRULY  CHRISTIxVN  AND  SPIRITUAL 
CHURCH. 

BY  WILLIAM  DELL. 


Matt.  v.  11,  12. 

Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall 

say  all  manner  of  evil  against  yon  falsely  for  my  sake. 

Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad  ;  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven: 
for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets  which  were  before  you. 

PsAL.  Ixix.  9. 
The  reproaches  of  them  that  reproached  thee,  are  fallen  upon  me. 


AN 


EXPOSITION 


OF  THE  FIFTY-FOUUTH  CHAPTER  OF  ISAIAIJ, 

FROM  VERSE  ELEVENTH  TO  THE  END. 


The  words  are  thus : 

Ver.  11.0  thou  afflicted,  and  tossed  with  tempest,  and  not  comfort' 
ed ;  behold,  I  will  lay  thy  stones  with  fair  colours,  and  lay  thy 
foundations  with  sapphires. 

12.  ^nd  I  will  make  thy  ivindows  of  agates,  and  thy  gates  of  car- 
buncles, and  all  thy  border^  of  pleasant  stones,  S^c. 

THIS  place  of  scripture  is  very  useful  to  the  church 
of  God,  in  these  times  wherein  we  Hve ;  yea  verily,  this 
prophet  did  not  so  much  prophesy  to  his  own  age  as  to 
ours,  nor  to  the  Jewish  church,  as  to  the  Christian.  JF'or 
unto  them  it  was  revealed,  that  not  unto  themselves,  but 
unto  us,  they  did  minister  the  things  which  are  now  re- 
ported unto  you,  1  Pet.  i.  12. 

The  propliet  Isaiah  prophesied  in  the  spirit,  touching 
the  kingdom  of  Christ,  which  stands  not  in  the  flesh,  but 
in  the  Spirit ;  and  delivers  from  the  Father,  by  the  Sj)irit, 
many  excellent  promises,  to  be  fulfilled  in  the  Son  incar- 
nate, head  and  members. 

The  first  promise  in  this  chapter,  is  touching  the  great 
increase  of  the  church,  in  the  days  of  the  New  Testament ; 
that  whereas,  before,  the  church  was  to  be  found  but  in 
ene  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation,  Rev.  v.  9. 

L 


82  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

now,  it  snoukl  be  gathered  out  o^everi/  /limh'ed,  and  tongue, 
and  people,  and  natwn.  And  this  is  so  desirable  and  com- 
fortable a  thing,  that  in  the  beginning  of  the  chapter,  he 
calls  upon  all  to  rejoice  at  this  ;  Sing,  0  barren,  thou  that 
didst  not  bear  ;  break  forth  into  singing  and  shout  aloud,  thou 
that  didst  not  travail  with  child:  for  more  are  the  children  of 
the  desolate,  than  of  the  married  -wfe,  saith  the  Lord. 
Enlarge  the  place  of  thy  tent,  and  let  them  stretch  forth 
the  curtains  of  thy  habitations.  Spare  not.  lengthen  thy 
cords,  cmd strengthen  thy  stakes  :  for  thou  shalt*break forth 
on  the  rigJit  hand,  and  on  the  left;  and  thy  seed  shall  inherit 
the  Gentiles,  and  make  tJie  desolate  cities  to  be  inhabited. 
Isai.  liv.  1,  l^c.  So  that  there  shall  certainly  be  a  most  won- 
derful, and  numerous  increase  of  the  faithful,  in  the  Chris- 
tian church,  till  they  become  as  the  stars  of  heaven,  and 
as  the  drops  of  the  morning  dew,  that  cannot  be  told,  all 
of  them  assembled  in  the  beauties  of  holiness. 

And  therefore  let  us  not  be  overmuch  troubled,  though 
at  present  we  see,  in  a  numerous  nation,  but  few  true  chil- 
dren of  the  spiritual  church  ;  for  God  shall  bless  these  few, 
and  bid  them  increase,  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the 
earth  ;  so  that  though  the  assemblies  of  the  saints  be  now 
but  thin,  and  oije  comes  from  this  place,  and  another  from 
that,  to  these  assemblies  ;  and  in  many  and  most  places  of 
the  kingdom,  these  few  are  fain  to  come  together  secretly, 
for  fear  of  the  Jeivs,  that  is,  the  people  oi  the  letter ;  yet 
through  the  pouring  forth  of  the  Spirit,  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  at  last,  that  they  shall  come  in  flocks,  andas  doves  to 
their  unndonvs.  And  it  shall  be  said  to  the  church,  by  the 
Lord,  Lift  up  thine  eyes  roundabout ,  and  behold,  all  these  ga- 
ther tJiemselves  together,  and  come  to  thee:  AsIHve,saiththe 
Lord,  thou  shalt  surely  clothe  thee  with  them  all,  aswith  an  or- 
nament, and  bind  them  on  thee  as  a  bride  doth,  ^c.  till  at  last 
the  church  shall  say  in  htrh.eart,  JFho  hath  begotten  methese^ 
seeing  I  have  lost  my  children^  andam  desolate,  a  captive,  and 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  83 

removing  to  and  fro  ?  and  who  hath  brought  up  these  ?  Be- 
hold I  was  left  alone  ;  these,  where  had  theij  been  ? 

Ye;i,  these  very  promises  are  now  in  the  very  act  of 
accomi)lishing  among  us  ;  for  the  spiritual  church  hath 
received  a  very  great  increase  within  these  few  years,  and 
God  hath  many  faithful  people  in  many  places  of  this  king- 
dom. 

And  one  thing  that  is  remarkable,  touching  the  in- 
crease  of  the  church  at  this  day,  is  this  :  That  wher«  Christ 
sends  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  there  many  young  peo- 
ple are  brought  in,  to  Christ ;  as  being  most  free  from  the 
forms  ot  the  former  age,  and  from  the  doctrines  and  tra- 
ditions of  men,  taught  and  received  instead  of  the  pure  and 
unmixed  word  of  God  :  whereas  many  old  professors,  who 
are  wholly  in  the  form,  prove  the  greatest  enemies  to  the 
power  of  godliness  :  and  thus,  the  first  are  the  last,  and 
the  last  first. 

Now  this  great  and  sudden  increase  of  the  faithful,  is 
that  which  doth  so  exceedingly  trouble  the  world,  and 
makes  them  angry  at  the  very  heart.  For,  if  they  were 
but  a  few,  mean,  contemptible  and  inconsid<  rable  persons, 
whom  they  might  easily  suppress  and  destroy,  they  would 
be  pretty  quiet :  but  when  they  begin  to  increase  in  the 
land,  as  Israel  did  in  Egypt ;  and,  notwithstanding  all  the 
burdens  of  their  task  masters,  wherewith  they  are  afflicted 
and  grieved,  do  yet  increase  abundantly,  and  multiply, 
and  wax  exceeding  mighty,  till  they  begin  to  fill  the  land  ; 
and  when  they  consult  to  deal  wisely  with  them,  lest  they 
multiply  too  much,  do  yet  see  them  grow  and  multiply 
the  more,  that  they  know  not  at  what  country,  or  city,  or 
town,  or  village,  or  family,  to  begin  to  suppress  them  : 
this  is  that  which  doth  so  exceedfngly  vex  and  enrage  the 
world,  and  makes  them  even  mad  again,  as  we  see  this 
day.  For  the  increase  of  the  faithful,  as  it  is  the  glory  of 
the  church,  so  it  is  the  grief  and  madness  of  the  world. 


84  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

But  these  men  in  vain  attempt  against  tliis  increase  of  the 
faithful,  as  the  Egyptians  against  the  increase  of  the  Isra- 
elites ;  for  none  can  hinder  the  increase  of  the  church,  but 
they  that  hinder  God  from  pouring  out  his  Spirit ;  and  ac- 
cording to  tlie  measure  of  God's  pouring  forth  the  Spirit,  is 
and  must  be  the  increase  of  the  church,  in  despite  of  all 
the  opposition  of  the  world. 

And  thus  much  touching  the  first  promise  of  the  church's 
increase. 

Now  in  the  words  I  read  to  you,  the  Lord  comes  to 
another  promise  :  so  that  the  Lord,  because  of  the  church's 
weakness,  adds  one  promise  to  another ;  and  these  pro- 
mises are  nothing  but  the  outgoings  and  manifestations  of 
his  love,  through  the  word,  Christ.  But  to  look  more 
nearly  upon  the  words. 

Ver.  W.  0  thou  afflicted. 

Affliction  in  the  world,  doth  so  inseparably  attend  the 
church,  that  the  church  even  takes  its  denomination  from 
it,  0  thou  afflicted.  The  condition  of  the  church,  is  an 
afflicted  condition.  For  the  church  being  born  of  God, 
and  born  of  the  Spirit,  is  put  into  a  direct  contrariety  to 
the  world,  which  is  born  of  the  flesh,  and  is  also  of  its  fa- 
ther, the  dt^il.  And  so,  the  whole  world  is  malignant 
against  the  faithful  and  spiritual  church  ;  and  all  that  are 
not  regenerate,  set  their  faces,  yea,  their  hearts  and  their 
hands,  against  the  saints ;  and  the  unregenerate  world,  is 
against  the  regenerate ;  and  the  carnal  world,  against  the 
spiritual ;  and  the  sinful  world,  against  the  righteous  ;  and 
all  the  people  and  nations  in  the  world,  are  against  that 
people  and  nation  which  the  apostle  calls,  a  holy  nation^  and 
a  peculiar  people. 

As  the  world  cannofendure  God  in  himself,  so  neither 
can  it  endure  God  in  the  saints ;  and  so  the  more  God 
dwells  in  the  saints,  the  more  doth  the  world  afflict  the 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  85 

saints ;  for  they  oppose  not  the  faithful  for  any  thing  of 
flesh  and  blood  in  them,  but  because  that  flesh  and  blood 
of  theirs  is  the  habitation  of  God,  and  the  very  presence  of 
God  himself  is  there  :  as  he  saith,  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and 
walk  in  them.  Agreeable  to  this  is  that  of  Christ,  where 
he  saith,  All  this  shall  they  do  to  you,  for  my  name^s  sake  ; 
that  is,  when  the  name  of  Christ  is  called  upon  us,  and 
we  are  taken  into  his  name,  that  is,  into  his  nguteousness, 
and  life,  and  truth,  and  wisdom,  and  holiness  ;  and  into 
his  nature,  which  comprehends  all  this ;  then,  when  the 
world  perceives  the  name  of  God  in  the  sons  of  men,  and 
the  nature  of  God  in  the  natures  of  men,  then  presently 
they  fall  a  persecuting  the  saints,  for  this  name  and  na- 
ture's sake  :  and  he  that  strikes  at  God  in  his  saints,  would, 
if  he  could,  strike  at  God  in  himself.  And  therefore  let 
the  world  take  heed  what  they  do  in  this  point ;  for  while 
they  persecute  the  saints,  they  are  found  fighters  against 
God  himself,  because  God  is  one  with  them,  and  they  are 
one  with  God  in  Christ.  And  let  the  saints  be  admonish- 
ed, so  to  hide  and  retire  themselves  into  God  through 
Christ,  that  whoever  is  an  enemy  to  them,  and  opposes 
them,  may  rather  be  an  enemy  to  God,  and  oppose  God 
than  them,  they  living  and  acting  in  God,  and  not  in  them- 
selves. 

Now  this  affliction  the  church  meets  with  in  the  world, 
is  profitable  for  the  church ;  it  is  good  for  it  that  it  should 
be  afflicted  :  for  the  more  it  is  afflicted  in  the  flesh,  the 
more  it  thrives  in  the  spirit :  this  affliction  stirs  us  up  to 
the  exercise  of  our  faith  and  prayer  :  yea,  then  is  our  faith 
most  active  and  vigorous,  and  our  prayers  most  fervent, 
till  they  till  the  whole  heavens  again  ;  then  are  we  most  in 
the  use  of  the  word  ;  then  are  we  set  off"  furthest  from  the 
world ;  then  do  we  keep  closest  to  God ;  then  have  we 
nearest  intercourse  and  communion  with  him  :  so  that  we 
could  better  want  fire,  and  water,  and  the  sun,  than  want 


86  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

affliction,  which  God,  out  of  his  mere  love,  through  his 
over-ruhng  power  and  wisdom,  causes  to  work  unto  us 
for  good.  So  that  we,  who  are  placed  in  the  hand  of  Christ, 
are  set  in  such  a  condition,  wherein  nothing  can  do  us  any 
harm  forever,  but  evil  itself  must  work  good  unto  us.  But 
we  proceed. 

Tossed  with  tempest. 

Where  we  see  that  the  church  is  not  .only  afflicted,  but 
violently  afflicted ;  one  wave  comes  against  it  after  ano- 
ther, as  in  a  tempest ;  and  the  more  spiritual  the  church 
is,  the  more  doth  the  world  become  as  a  raging  sea  against 
it ;  because  the  more  spiritual  the  church  is  made,  it  is  set 
in  the  more  contrariety  to  the  world,  and  the  world  to  it. 
The  psalmist  describes  this  tempter  in  the  world  against 
the  church;  They  came  upon  me  Uke  a  ramping  and  a  roaring 
lion  :  And  again.  They  came  upon  me^  to  eat  up  myfiesh,  as 
they  would  eat  bread.  When  the  saints  have  appeared  in 
the  spirit,  and  acted  in  the  spirit,  how  violent  and  en- 
raged hath  the  world  been  against  them  ?  It  would  toss 
them,  as  in  a  tempest,  from  place  to  place,  from  post  to 
pillar,  as  they  say,  till  it  hath  quite  tossed  them  out  of  the 
wodd.  Yea,  men  naturally  meek  and  moderate,  how- 
fierce  have  they  become  against  the  saints,  when  there 
hath  appeared  any  glorious  discoveries  of  Christ  in  them  ! 
For  the  enmity,,  that  is  in  the  seed  oi  the  serpent,  against 
the  seed  of  the  woman,  will  be  still  breaking  forth  ;  and 
though  it  may  for  a  time  be  covered  under  many  moral 
virtues,  and  a  form  of  godliness,  yet  when  God  leaves 
them  to  themselves,  and  lets  them  act  outwardly  according 
to  their  inward  principles,  how  cruelly,  and  maliciously, 
and  fiercely,  and  desperately  do  they  act  against  the  saints 
of  God  *?  Yea,  there  is  not  that  enmity  between  T'z/rA"  and 
Jew^  as  there  is  between  carnal  gospellers  and  spiritual 
Christians ;    the   former   hating   these,  and   being   angry 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  87 

against  thes^  to  the  very  death.     And  whenever  the  Lord 
shall  suffer  these  to  exercise  their  enmity  against  the  church, 
then  shall  the  church's  condition  become  such  as  it  is  here 
described,  ajliicted  and  tossed  with  tempest. 
And  not  comforted. 

The  church  of  God,  in  all  the  e*vil  it  meets  with  in  the 
world,  hath  not  one  drop  of  comfort  from  the  world  :  it 
hath  affliction,  'tribulation,  persecution,  from  the  world  ; 
but  no  cosnfort. 

This  we  see  in  Christ  the  head  ;  you  know  what  he  suf- 
fered in  the  world  in  the  days  of  his  flesh  ;  he  was  despised 
and  rejected  of  7nen,  and  so  full  of  sorrows,  that  he  took  his 
name  from  them,  and  \^'as  called,  A  man  of  sorroxvs,  and 
acquainted  with  grief:  At  last,  out  of  mere  envy  and  ma- 
lice, they  apprehended  him,  bound  him,  buffeted  him, 
spit  on  him,  crucified  him  ;  and  all  this  would  have  b^en 
but  a  small  matter  to  have  suffered  from  the  heathen  ;  but 
he  suffered  all  this  from  the  only  visible  church  of  God  in 
the  world  ;  who  put  him  to  the  most  painful  and  shameful 
death  of  the  cross,  between  two  malefactors,  to  bear  the 
■world  in  hand,  that  he  was  the  third,  and  the  chief.  And 
in  all  this  evil  he  had  nobody  to  pity  him,  or  have  com- 
passion on  him;  but  they  laughed  at  him, "and  derided 
him,  and  mocked  and  jeered  him  ;  but  nobody  comforted 
him. 

And  as  it  was  Christ  the  head,  so  it  is  with  Christ 
the  body  and  members  ;  they,  in  all  the  evils,  and  woes, 
and  sorrows,  and  oppositions,  and  persecutions  they  have 
from  the  world,  have  nobody  to  comfort  them,  or  take 
compassion  on  them.  Refuge  failed  me,  saith  David,  no 
man  cared  for  my  soul.  Lover  and  friend  hast  thou  put  far 
from  me,  and  mine  acquaintance  into  darkness,  saith  Henian, 
Psal.  Ixxxviii.  18.  1^.- 

Brethren  and  beloved,  ye  that  are  partakers  of  the  he::- 
venly  calling,  and  of  the  divine  natuie.  if  ever  the  Lord 


88  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

suffer  the  world  to  prevail  against  you,  to  afflict  you,  and 
toss  you  from  one  evil  to  another,  as  in  a  tempest,  to  re- 
proach 3  ou,  throw  you  out  of  your  comforts,  tmrtish  you, 
imprison  you,  &:c.  you  shall  find  nobody  to  comfort  you  ; 
nobody  will  take  notice  of  you,  or  regard  you,  or  own  you, 
or  pity  you,  or  be  so  sensible  of  your  condition,  as  to  say, 
"Alas!   my  brother." 

You  must  look  for  affliction  in  the  world,  but  you  must 
look  for  no  comfort  there.  When  God  shall  cast  us  into 
sorrows  and  sufferings,  let  us  not  look  for  one  worldly 
man  to  stand  by  us,  no  not  of  those  that  now  smile  upon 
us,  and  pi^tcnd  friendship  to  us  ;  no  nor  yet  of  our  near 
relations  ;  but  then  that  shall  be  fulfilled,  I  was  a  stranger  To 
my  brethren,  an  alien  to  my  mother* s  children.  Nay  yet  fur- 
ther ;  they  that  are  weak  or  worldly  Christians,  will  stand 
aloof  from  thee,  and  will  be  shy  to  own,  and  countenance, 
and  encourage,  and  comfort  thee  publicly.  The  disciples 
of  Christ,  when  he  was  led  to  the  cross,  they  all  forsook 
h'lm^  and  jied^  and  left  him  to  tread  the  wine-press  alone. 
And  so,  if  you  suffer  in  the  righteousness  and  truth  of  God, 
you  shall  find  little  comfort  from  men.  0  thou  afflicted^ 
tossed  xvith  tempest^  arid  not  comforted  ! 

Now  this'the  Lord  doth,  in  much  mercy  to  his  saints  ; 
he  leaves  them  destitute  of  earthly  comfort,  that  they 
may  look  for  heavenly  ;  he  leaves  them  destitute  of  all 
comfort  from  men,  that  they  may  look  for  comfort  from 
God  alone.  And  therefore  when  thou  art  brought  into 
*juch  a  case,  to  be  afflicted  and  not  comforted,  lift  up  thy 
lieart  to  God,  and  expect  all  from  him,  saith  Christ,  John 
xvi.  The  world  shall  hate  yoii^  and  persecute  you^  and  shall  put 
you  out  of  their  synagogues,  and  shall  kill  you  ;  and  in  doing 
all  this,  shall  think  they  do  God  good  service :  But,  saith  he,  / 
will  send  you  the  Comforte^.  Christ  knew  well  enough,  that 
among  all  these  evils,  They  shall  have  no  comforter  on 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  89 

earth,  and  therefore  promises  to  send  them  one  from  hea- 
ven. 

And  therefore,  when  thy  soul  is  placed  in  affliction,  ne- 
ver look  after  any  earthly,  or  sensual,  or  creature  comforts, 
for  they  will  prove  poison  to  thy  soul ;  but  only  look  for 
heavenly  comforts,  such  as  the  Spirit  brings,  such  as  flow 
immediately  from  God  ;  for  these  are  pure,  and  sweet,  and 
unmixed,  and  refreshing,  and  supporting,  and  satisfy- 
ing, and  enduring  comforts ;  comforts  that  are  able  to 
make  thee  rejoice,  not  only  in  fulness,  but  in  wants  :  not 
only  among  friends,  but  in  the  midst  of  enemies  ;  not  only 
in  good  report,  but  in  evil  report ;  not  only  in  prosperity, 
but  in  tribulations ;  not  only  in  life,  but  in  death ;  they 
will  make  thee  go  singing  to  prison,  to  the  cross,  to  the 
grave  ;  they  are  mighty  comforts,  infinitely  stronger  than 
all  the  sorrows  of  the  fltsh:  and  hence  it  is,  that  many  saints 
and  martyrs  have  gone  cheerfully  to  the  stake,  and  sung 
in  the  very  flames  :  the  comforts  of  God  in  their  souls,  have 
strengthened  them  to  this. 

Thou  that  art  a  believer,  and  in  union  with  Christ,  ne- 
ver doubt  of  this  comfort  in  thy  greatest  sorrows.  When 
Christ  had  none  to  stand  by  him,  and  comfort  him,  God 
sent  an  angel  from  heaven  to  do  it :  And  so,  when  we  are 
left  alone  in  the  world,  rather  than  we  shall  want  comfort, 
God  will  send  us  an  angel  from  heaven,  to  comfort  us ; 
yea,  the  Spirit  itself,  which  is  greater  than  all  the  angels  in 
heaven  ;  and  we  shall  certainly  be  comforted  by  God,  when 
we  are  afflicted  and  tossed  with  tempest,  and  not  comforted 
by  men. 

Behold,  I  will  lay  thy  stones  with  fair  colours,  ^c. 

The  Lord  seeth  the  church  in  its  affliction,  without  all 
comfort  in  the  world,  and  then  the  Lord  comes  and  com- 
forts it  himself ;  and  this  he  doth  by  a  premise.  They  are 
the  sweetest  comforts  that  are  brought  to  us  in  the  pro- 
mises.    The  promises  are  the  swadling-clothes  of  Christ, 

M 


90  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

they  cany  Christ  wrapt  up  in  them  ;  and  Christ  repre- 
sented to  the  church,  hatli  been  the  comfort  of  it,  in  all  its 
evils,  outward  or  inward. 

And  therefore,  whatever  affliction  takes  hold  on  thee, 
have  recourse  to  the  promises,  to  draw  thy  comforts  from 
Christ  through  them.  O  how  sweet  is  that  life  that  is 
led  in  the  promises  !  a  life  led  in  the  promises,  is  the  best 
life  in  the  world.  Men  that  have  estates  in  money  or  land 
depend  on  these  things  for  their  maintenance  ;  but  a  Chris- 
tian may  have  Httle  or  nothing  of  these  in  the  world,  but 
he  hath  a  promise,  which  is  a  thousand  times  better,  and 
makes  his  life  more  comfortable  ;  /  ain  God  all-sufficient ; 
and,  1  xvill  not  fail  thee  nor  forsake  thee:  whereupon  he 
comes  to  this  resolution.  The  Lord  is  my  portion,  saith  my 
soiil^  I  will  trust  in  him.  O  how  sweet  a  life  is  this  life,' 
that  knows  no  cares,  nor  fears,  nor  troubles,  nor  disquiet- 
ments  !  here,  saith  a  believer,  is  my  estate,  and  living,  and 
the  lot  of  mine  inheritance  ;  and  this  is  a  thousand  times 
better  and  more  certain  estate,  than  all  the  manors  and  lord- 
ships in  the  kingdom  ;  for,  my  bread  shall  be  given  me, 
my  waters  shall  be  sure;  The  Lord  is  7ny  shepherd,  and  I  shall 
not  want ;  no,  not  when  the  lions  (the  great  men  of  the  king- 
dom, to  whom  every  poor  mcin  is  a  prey')  shall  lack  and  suf- 
fer hunger.  He  that  hath  given  me  his  own  nature  and 
Spirit,  will  not  leave  me  destitute  of  food  and  clothing. 

Take  another  instance.  A  man,  feeling  the  bitterness  of 
affliction  to  flesh  and  blood,  is  ready  to  think,  O  how  shall 
I  ever  be  able  to  suffer  this  or  that,  or  to  part  with  my 
relations,  with  my  estate,  with  my  life,  and  all  that  is 
near  and  dear  unto  me  ?  Why,  when  a  Christian  lays  hold 
on  the  promise,  God  is  faithful,  and  will  not  suffer  us  to  be 
tempted  above  that  which  xve  are  able.  O,  saith  a  Chris- 
tian, God  will  never  bring  me  to  any  temptation  or  trial, 
but  he  will  give  me  strength  proportionable  to  it,  or  above 
it :  and  so  lives  satisfied  with  the  truth,  and  goodness,  and 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  91 

power  of  God.  And  thus  you  see  in  these  instances,  that 
a  life  led  in  the  promises,  is  the  sweetest  and  best  life ; 
when  a  man  can  draw  all  from  God  himself,  through  a  pro- 
mise. 

And  this  in  general,  That  God  comforts  his  church  by 
a  promise. 

But  to  come  more  particularly  to  the  words  : 

Behold^  I  will  lay  thy  stones  with  fair  colours,  and  lay  thy 
Jbundafions  with  sapphires. 

And  I  will  make  thy  wifidows  of  agates,  and  thy  gates 
of  carbuncles,  atid  all  thy  borders  of  pleasant  stones. 

The  promise  relites  to  the  spiritual  church  of  the  New 
Testament ;  and  this,  you  will  observe,  is  often  in  scrip- 
ture compared  to  a  building,  and  that  to  a  most  stately, 
sumptuous,  magniiiccnt  and  glorious  building ;  as  being 
all  built  of  precious  stones,  and  so  more  glorious  than  the 
first  temple,  which  was  built  up  of  common  stones  ;  and 
it  was  prophesied,  that  the  glory  of  the  second  temple 
should  fur  exceed  the  glory  of  the  first.  The  first  temple 
was  Solomon'^s,  which  was  indeed  filled  with  the  outward 
pr^^sence  of  God;  but  the  second  temple  is  the  humanity 
of  Jesus  Christ,  or  the  flesh  of  Christ,  both  head  and 
members;  this  is  the  living  temple  of  the  living  God ;  the 
temple  that  God  hath  built  by  his  Spirit,  for  his  own  ha- 
bitation ;  wherein  God  dwells  truly,  really,  spiritually,  and 
most  nearly,  by  the  way  of  the  most  near  union,  whereby 
God  and  the  creature  are  knit  together  ;  and  this  spiritual 
temple  is  more  glorious  than  the  first  material  one,  either 
according  to  the  first  edition  of  it  by  Solomon,  or  the  se- 
cond edition  of  it  by  the  fathers,  in  the  days  of  Cyrus,  Da- 
rius, and  Artaxerxes. 

Here  then  you  see,  that  the  Lord  promiseth  to  build 
up  the  church  of  the  New  Testament,  with  stones  of  fair 
colours,  with  precious  stones.     I  will  not  stand  to  inquire 


92  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

particularly  into  the  natures  of  the  several  stones  here  na- 
med ;  for  the  Jews  themselves  do  not  fully  agree  about 
them.  It  shall  be  sufficient  for  us  to  attain  to  the  mean- 
ing of  the  spirit  in  this  place,  and  that  is  this. 

That  the  spiritual  church  of  the  New  Testament,  is  not 
to  be  built  with  common,  but  with  precious  stones. 

Now  the  full  sense  of  these  words  I  shall  give  you  forth 
in  several  particulars. 

1.  You  see  here  the  matter  of  Avhich  the  church  of  the 
New  Testament  is  made  ;  and  that  is  not  of  common,  but 
of  precious  stones  ;  elect  and  precious  stones  ;  and  such 
are  the  faithful :     For, 

1.  They  have  a  more  excellent  nature  than  other  men 
have  ;  for  they  are  born  of  God,  and  so  partake  of  the 
nature  of  God  ;  and  so  in  this  sense,  may  be  said  to  come 
forth  from  Gjd,  as  the  child  from  the  father  :  and  the 
Lord  Jesus  did  not  more  truly  partake  of  the  nature  of 
man,  than  these  do  partake  of  the  nature  of  God  ;  and 
therefore  saith  Peter  ^  Great  and  precious  promises  are  made 
to  Its,  that  rue  sJwukI  be  partakers  of  tJie  divine  nature. 
Others  have  only  the  nature  of  men  in  them,  or  which  is 
worse,  the  nature  of  the  devil  :  but  the  faithful  have  in 
them  the  nature  of  God,  communicated  to  them  through 
a  neiv  birth.  . 

2.  They  have  a  more  excellent  spirit  than  others  have  ; 
as  it  was  said  of  Daniel,  that  there  was  a  more  excellent 
spirit  found  with  him,  than  with  all  the  other  wise  men. 
Now  the  excellency  of  each  creature,  is  according  to  the 
spirit  of  it  :  but  the  saints  have  the  Spirit  of  God,  even 
the  Spirit  of  the  Father  and  the  Son  dwelhng  in  them  ; 
they  have  ihr  same  Sj.irit  of  God  dwelling  in  their  flesh, 
as  Christ  had  dwelling  in  his  flesh  :  so  that  the  very  Spirit 
of  God  is  foimd  in  the  feithful,  and  therefore  they  arc 
more  glorious  than  the  rest  of  the  world. 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  03 

3.  They  have  a  more  excellent  lustre  than  other  men. 
One  tiling  that  appertains  to  the  excellency  of  precious 
stones,  is  the  lustre  of  them.  Now  this  lustre  in  the  faith- 
ful, is  the  glory  of  God  ujjon  them  :  Tlie  Lord  shall  arise 
upon  thee,  aiid  his  glorij  shall  be  see?!  upon  thee,  saith  Isaiah 
cliap.  Ix.  and  Paul  saith,  ff^e  all,  beholding  as  in  a  glass,  the 
glorif  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  intothe  sameimage,  from  glo- 
rij  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  So  that  as 
Christ  W:is  taken  into  the  glory  of  the  Father,  so  are  we  ta- 
ken into  the  glory  of  Christ ;  as  he  saith,  And  the  glory 
which  thou  gave st  me,  I  have  given  them,  John  xvii.  for  the 
head  and  members  are  taken  into  the  same  glory,  according 
to  their  proportion. 

4.  They  have  more  excellent  operations ;  for  the  faith- 
ful are  not  such  precious  stones  that  are  only  for  shew, 
but  they  also  have  some  virtue  in  them,  even  the  very  vir- 
tues of  Jesus  Christ :  for  they,  having  the  same  nature  and 
Spirit  of  God  as  he  had,  are  able,  according  to  the  mea- 
sure of  the  gift  of  Christ,  to  do  the  same  works  that  he 
did  ;  and  so  the  saints  are  excellent,  in  the  operations  of 
faith,  hope,  love,  humility,  meekness,  patience,  tem- 
perance, heavenly-mindedness,  &c.  And  in  this  respect  also 
are  more  precious  than  the  rest  of  the  world.  And  there- 
fore the  Lord  calls  them  his  jewels  ;  Li  the  day  wherein  I 
make  up  my  jewels  :  and  elsewhere  they  are  called  the  pre- 
cious sons  of  Sion.  The  people  of  God  area  most  precious 
people,  men  and  women  of  a  precious  anointing ;  though 
some  wicked  and  scurrilous  libellers  against  the  spiritual 
church,  will  not  allow  them  this  name  ;  but  (according  to 
the  anointing  they  have  received  from  satan)  reproach  it. 
And  yet  still  it  is  a  truth,  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  pre- 
vail against.  That  the  truly  iaithful  are  precious  stones 
in  the  building  of  the  church,  partaking  of  the  nature 
and  Spirit  of  God,  and  of  the  lustre  and  operations  ot 
both. 


94  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  See. 

Whereas,  on  the  contrary,  other  people  are  the  vile  of 
the  earth,  the  Xvmq  filth  and  off- scouring  of  all  things,  Psal. 
XV.  In  whose  eyes  a  vile  person  is  contemned :  a  man  that  is  a 
natural  man,  a  sinful  and  unregenerate  man,  who  hath  no 
other  nature  in  him,  but  that  corrupt  nature  he  brought 
into  the  world,  though  in  this  present  world  he  may  be  a 
gentleman,  or  a  knight,  or  a  nobleman,  or  a  king  :  yet  in 
the  eyes  of  God  and  his  saints,  he  is  but  a  vile  person; 
and  a  poor  mean  Christian,  that  earns  his  bread  by  hard  la- 
bour, is  a  thousand  times  more  precious  and  excellent  than 
he,  according  to  the  judgment  of  God  and  his  word. 

And  thus  much  for  the  first  thing,  tl>e  matter  of  which 
the  church  of  th^New  Testament  is  made,  that  is,  of  pre- 
cious stones. 

2.  Now  the  next  thing  observable,  is  the  variety  of 
these  precious  stones.  For  the  spiritual  church  is  not 
built  up  of  precious  stones  of  one  sort  only;  not  all  of  sap- 
phires, nor  all  of  agates,  nor  all  of  carbuncles:  but  of  ail  tiicse; 
both  sapphires,  agates,  carbuncles,  and  many  other  precious 
stones  of  fair  colours. 

And  this  denotes  the  diversity  of  gifts  in  the  saints  of 
God.  For  though  all  of  them  are  precious  stones,  yet  they 
are  of  diversity  of  colours,  and  lustre,  and  operations  : 
And  this  also  makes  for  the  greater  glory  of  the  church  ; 
for  the  variety  of  lustre  adds  to  the  beauty  and  ornament 
of  it.  In  the  body  of  a  man,  there  is  not  one  member, 
but  many.  If  the  body  were  all  but  one  member,  it 
would  be  but  a  lump  of  flesh  ;  but  the  variety  of  mem- 
bers, with  their  several  gifts  and  operations,  are  the  glory 
of  the  body.  And  so  it  is  in  the  church,  the  body  of 
Jesus  Christ,  wherein  are  divers  mt  mbers,  \vith  diversity  of 
gifts  and  operations,  excellently  set  forth  by  Paul;  Now  there 
are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same  spirit:  Aud  there  are  dif- 
ferences of  administrations,  but  the  same  Lord:  and  there  are 
diversities  of  operations,  but  it  is  the  same  God  thatworketh 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  95 

all  in  all.  But  the  manifestation  of  the  spirit  is  given  to  ev- 
ery one  to  profit  withal:  For  to  one  is  given  by  the  spirit, 
the  word  of  wisdom  ;  to  another,  the  word  of  knowledge  by 
the  same  spirit ;  to  another,  faith  by  the  same  spirit ;  to 
another,  the  gift  of  healing  by  the  same  spirit ;  to  another, 
the  working  of  miracles  ;  to  another,  prophesy  ;  to  another, 
discerning  of  spirits  ;  to  another,  divers  kinds  of  tongues  ; 
to  another,  interpretation  of  tongues  ;  but  all  these  worketh 
that  one  and  the  same  spirit,  dividing  to  every  man  severally 
as  he  will,  1  Cor.  xii.  4,  &c.  Here,  you  see,  are  diversities 
of  gifts,  and  administrations,  and  operations  in  the  faithful ; 
but  all  proceed  from  one  and  the  same  spirit :  and  whatso- 
ever gift  proceeds  from  the  spirit,  there  is  an  excellent 
beauty,  a  heavenly  lustre  in  it. 

And  therefore  labour  to  distinguish  between  those  gifts 
that  are  connatural  to  thee,  and  flow  from  thy  own  spirit, 
and  those  gifts  that  are  supernatural,  and  flow  from  God's 
Spirit.  In  all  the  operations  of  thine  own  spirit,  in  all 
thy  natural  abilities,  parts,  wisdom,  learning,  actings, 
there  is  nothing  but  ungodliness,  deformity,  darkness, 
death  j  how  specious  soever  they  may  appear  to  the  world  : 
but  in  the  gifts  and  operations  that  flow  from  God's  Spi- 
rit, there  is  a  heavenly  beauty,  and  lustre,  and  glory  :  yea, 
even  in  weak  Christians,  that  are  true  Christians,  you  shall 
often  see -and  discern  an  excellent  beauty  in  some  gift  or 
other,  which  they  have  received  from  the  spirit;  which 
shines  not  forth  so  clearly  in  some  stronger  Christians. 
And  therefore,  let  us  not  expect  all  gifts  in  all  men,  and 
that  every  man  should  excel  in  every  gift ;  for  then  one 
would  be  saying  to  another,  I  have  no  need  of  thee.  But 
God  hath  given  diversity  of  gifts  to  divers  saints,  that 
each  may  acknowledge  something  in  another,  which  he 
hath  not  himself,  and  may  reckon  his  perfection  to  lie  in 
his  union  and  communion  with  them ;  that  so  the  commu- 
nion of  saints  may  be  kept  up  in  the  world,  in  despite  of 


96  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  kc. 

the  world.  One  Christian  hath  the  gift  of  faith,  another 
the  gift  of  prayer,  another  the  gift  of  utterance  in  preach- 
ing, another  the  gift  of  courage,  another  the  gift  of  meek- 
ness, and  the  hke  ;  and  no  man  hath  all  things  in  himself, 
that  every  man,  in  the  sight  of  his  own  wants,  mciy  be  kept 
humble.  And  this  is  a  glorious  thing  in  this  building, 
that  the  lustre  of  each  stone  adds  to  the  lustre  of  all ;  and 
the  lustre  of  all  is  communicated  to  each  stone  :  and  so  in 
the  spiritual  building,  what  one  hath  from  the  spirit,  it  is 
for  all ;  and  what  all  have,  is  for  each  one.  If  thou  hast 
the  gift  of  utterance  in  the  ministration  of  the  spirit,  it  is 
to  build  me  up  ;  if  I  have  the  spirit  of  prayer,  it  com- 
mends thee  as  carefully  to  God  as  myself:  one  watches 
over  another,  as  over  his  own  soul ;  and  if  any  be  weak, 
the  strong  support  them  ;  if  any  be  doubtful,  they  that 
have  the  gift  of  knowledge  direct  them  ;  if  one  be  trou- 
bled, the  rest  mourn  with  him  ;  if  one  be  comforted,  the 
rest  rejoice  with  him  ;  and  they  are  all  so  linked  together 
in  the  body  of  Christ,  that  the  good  and  evil  of  one  ex- 
tends to  all.  Where  thou  canst  find  such  another  com- 
munion, there  join  thyself:  but  if  this  be  the  only  ex- 
cellent communion  in  the  world,  v.ho  would  not  willingly 
join  himself  to  that  spiritual  people,  where  no  man  calls 
his  grace  his  ov.-n,  but  all  gifts  are  in  common  among 
all,  every  one  having  a  share  in  the  faith,  hope,  love, 
prayer,  peace,  joy,  wisdom,  strength  of  all ;  and  Al  hav- 
ing a  share  in  these  gifts  and  graces,  that  are  in  any  one  ? 
And  thus  much  for  the  diversity  of  the  stones,  as  well  as 
the  preciousness  of  them. 

3.  The  third  thing  that  reveals  the  sense  of  the  words, 
is  to  observe,  that  this  spiritual  building  of  the  church  of 
the  New  Testament  is  made  up  all  of  precious  stones, 
without  any  mixture  of  common  stones  ;  is  made  up  of 
sapphires,  agate  s,  carbuncles  ;  and  adds,  and  ail  thy  borders 
of  pleasant  stones. 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  97 

Here  then  must  be  no  mingling  of  the  precious  and  the 
vile,  the  holy  and  the  proiane,  the  faithful  and  the  unbe- 
liever, the  spiritual  and  the  carnal ;  but  all  must  be  pre- 
cious. If  a  man  had  a  jewel,  that  had  here  and  there  only 
a  precious  stone  in  it,  and  all  the  rest  common  pebbles, 
there  would  be  no  great  glory  in  such  a  jewel ;  but  the 
common  stones  would  take  oft'  from  the  lustre  of  the  pre- 
cious ones  :  And  so  the  church  is  God's  jewel  in  the 
world,  and  it  must  be  made  up  only  of  precious  stones,  as 
you  see  here.  And  where  are  their  eyes  that  perceive  not 
this? 

There  be  some  that  talk  much  against  new  doctrine, 
which  is  the  old  reproach  of  the  gospel :  but  surely  there 
^vas  never  newer  doctrine  than  this.  That  the  spiritual 
church  of  the  New  Testament  should  be  made  up  of  all 
the  people  that  live  in  a  kingdom  ;  and  that  all  that  are 
born  in  such  a  nation,  should  necessarily  be  stones  for  the 
building  up  of  the  new  Jerusalem.  This  is  a  new  doctrine 
indeed,  which  neither  the  Old  nor  the  New  Testament 
owns  ;  but  was  conveyed  into  the  world  by  the  spirit  of 
antichrist.  For  God  doth  not  now  make  any  people,  or 
kindred,  or  nation,  his  church  ;  but  gathers  his  church  out 
of  every  people,  ar.d  kindred,  and  nation  :  and  none  can 
be  stones  of  this  building,  but  those  that  are  first  electa  and 
after  made  precious  through  a  new  birth,  and  the  gift  of 
the  Spirit.  And  this  doctrine  the  word  will  justify  against 
the  world ;  for  Paul^  writing  to  the  churches  of  Ephesus 
and  Corinthy  &c.  doth  he  mean  all  the  people  that  livqd  at 
Ephesus  or  Corinth  ?  No,  but  the  faithful  and  elect,  chil- 
dren by  adoption,  saints  by  calling  ;  and  saith,  So  it  was 
meet  for  him  to  Judge  of  them  all.  And  if  any  were  mistaken 
for  a  saint  that  was  none,  surely  he  carried  himself  very 
like  one ;  he  was  outwardly  in  sheep's  clothing,  or  he  had 
not  been  reckoned  among  the  flock  :  and  so,  if  a  stone  be 

N 


98  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

taken  into  this  building  that  is  not  truly  precious,  yet 
it  is  so  hke  one,  in  shew  and  colour,  that  it  can  hardly  be 
discerned  to  be  other,  but  by  a  very  skilful  lapidary.  And 
indeed,  such  a  mistake  there  may  be  in  Christ's  kingdom, 
here,  that  a  few  counterfeit  stones  may  be  taken  up  among 
many  precious  ones :  but  that  is  the  mistake  of  a  false 
church,  where  a  thousand  counterfeit  ones  arc  taken  in  for 
one  truly  precious ;  wherein  for  one  faithful  Christian, 
there  are  many  formalists,  and  many  more  profane.  This 
is  not  such  a  building  as  the  prophet  speaks  of;  for  this 
is  all  of  elect  and  precious  stones.  But  I  cannot  enlarge 
on  these  things,  because  this  exercise  I  intend  chiefly  as  an 
exposition  :  only  I  will  add  one  or  two  things  more  touch- 
ing this  particular,  and  so  go  on. 

1.  If  the  church  of  the  New  Testament  is  to  be  built  all 
of  precious  stones,  what  a  building  is  that,  where  the  only 
care  is  to  keep  these  stoiies  out  of  the  building,  lest  by  their 
glory  and  lustre  they  should  darken  the  rest  ? 

2.  Consider,  when  the  church  shall  be  built  up  all  of 
such  precious  stones,  what  a  glorious  church  will  that  be, 
when  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  shine  forth  in  every  stone 
of  this  building  ?  How  will  there  be  then  glory  upon  glory, 
till  the  glory  of  the  church  first  darken,  and  then  put  out 
all  the  glory  of  the  world  ? 

3.  Consider,  what  great  enemies  they  are  to  the  true 
and  native  glory  of  the  church,  that  would  have  every 
man  in  a  kingdom  a  member  of  the  church,  and  would 
have  those  taken  into  the  flock  that  are  none  of  Christ's 
sheep;  and  those  taken  into  the  church  of  God  that  are 
not  of  God  ;  and  would  gather  up  any  stones  to  make  up 
this  temple  of  God.  These  are  the  men  that  would  keep 
off"  those  glorious  things  from  being  fulfilled  in  the  church, 
which  are  spoken  of  it  in  the  word.  «     > 

4.  We  are  to  take  notice,  who  is  the  builder  of  such  a 
structure  as  this,  all  made  up  of  precious  stones  :  and  you 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  99 

shall  find  in  the  word,  that  the  builder  and  maker  ofit,  is  God. 
I  will  do  it,  saith  the  Lord  ;  behold,  I  will  lay  thy  stones  with 
fair  colours,  and  Iwill  lay  thy  foundationswith  sapphires,  and 
I  will  make  thy  windows  of  agates  ;  it  is  all  God's  work  from 
the  bt-^ginning  to  the  end.  For  who  can  build  unto  God 
a  living  temple  to  dwell  in,  but  himself?  This  the  prophet 
speaks  plainly,  where  he  saith,  The  man  whose  name  is  the 
branchjie  shall  biiildthe  temple  of  the  Lord,  even  he  shall  build 
it.  It  lies  in  the  power  of  no  man,  to  make  such  a  build- 
ino:  as  this  is.  What  wild  and  woful  work  do  men  make 
when  they  will  undertake  to  be  building  the  church,  by  their 
own  human  wisdom,  and  prudence,  and  counsel?  \Vh^ 
they  think,  we  will  have  the  church  of  God  thus  and  thus  ; 
and  we  will  make  it  up  of  such  and  such  men  ;  and  we 
will  govern  it  by  such  and  such  laws  :  and  we  will  get  the 
power  of  the  magistrate  to  back  ours  :  and  then,  what  we 
cannot  do  by  the  power  of  the  word  and  spirit,  we  will 
do  by  the  power  of  flesh  and  blood  :  Poor  men !  that  think 
that  these  new  heavens  wherein  the  Lord  will  dwell,  must 
be  the  work  of  their  own  fingers ;  or  that  the  new  Jerusa- 
lem must  of  necessity  come  out  of  the  assembly  of  divines 
at  Westminster,  which  is  to  come  down  from.  God  out  of  hea- 
ven :  or  that  they  can  build  the  house  of  God,  all  of  pre  • 
cious  stones,  whereas  this  must  be  God's  own  work,  and 
his  own  domg ;  and  no  state  or  council  in  the  world  can 
bring  this  about.  Apd  after  much  trial,  and  pains,  and 
weariness,  the  Lord  will  at  last  teach  his  own,  that  the  ga- 
thering and  laying  these  precious  stones  together,  must  be 
the  Lord's  own  doing,  even  his  own  doing. 

When  the  building  of  the  church  is  left  to  men,  how 
wofully  is  it  managed  !  Why  saith  one,  we  must  needs  ad- 
mit such  a  one,  he  is  the  chief  man  in  the  parish,  or  he  is 
a  man  of  good  esteem  in  the  world,  or  he  is  a  nobleman, 
or  he  is  my  near  kinsman,  or  is  thus  and  thus  related  to 
me,  or  he  is  a  good  civil  fair  dealing  man,  and  we  must 


\ 

100  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

needs  admit  him  ;  and  thus  will  flesh  and  blood  be  ever 
making  a  carnal  temple  for  God  to  dwell  in ;  but  God's 
true  habitation  can  never  be  framed  but  by  tlie  Spirit. 

And  therefore  for  the  building  of  the  church,  let  us 
look  hischer  than  the  hisfhest  instruments ;  for  it  must  be 
the  Lord's  own  work  by  the  word  and  spirit :  and  though 
every  man  be  against  it,  and  oppose  it,  yet  the  Lord  will 
do  it;  when  there  are  no  hands  to  build  it  up,  he  will 
build  it  up  without  hands.  /  will  lay  thy  stones  with^ 
&c.  It  follows. 

Ver.  13.  And  thy  children  shall  he  taught  of  the  Lordj 
i^d  great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children. 

See  here,  how  the  prophet  by  the  spirit,  carries  up  the 
saints  above  all  visible  and  sensible  things,  even  as  high  as 
God  himself;  God  [siiih  he  to  the  church)  shall  build  thee, 
and  God  shall  teachthee;  all  thy  children  shallbe  taught  of  the 
Lord.  The  note  is  this :  that  all  the  true  and  genuine 
children  of  the  clmrch,  have  God's  own  teaching,  in  all 
the  things  of  God,  they  have  the  Father  and  the  Son,  to 
teach  them  by  the  Spirit.  This  truth  Christ  himself  con- 
firms, where  he  saith,  It  is  written,  that  they  shall  be  all 
taught  of  God  ;  he  therefore  that  heard  dnd  learned  of  my 
Father,  cometh  to  me.  And  again.  The  spirit,  when  he  is 
come,  he  shall  lead  you  into  all  truth  ;  which  doctrine,  John 
afterwards  preached  thus  :  The  a?iointing  which  ye  have  re- 
ceived of  him,  ahideth  in  you  :  and  ye  need  not  that  any 
man  should  teach  you,  but  as  the  same  anointing  teacheth 
you  all  things,  1  John  ii.  27. 

•Hereby  now  we  perceive,  how  few  true  children  of  the 
church  there  be  among  those  that  are  commonly  called 
Christians  ;  for  among  all  these,  how  few  arc  there  who 
have  the  teaching  of  God  ?  but  most  have  their  teaching 
only  from  men,  and  no  higher. 

Consider  therefore,  I  j:)ray,  whether  the  knowledge  you 
have,  be  from  the  teaching  of  God,  or  the  teaching  of 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  101 

man  ;  you  all  pretend  to  know  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  the 
living  God :  and  that  redemption  and  salvation  is  by  him 
alone  ;  but  how  came  ye  by  this  knowledge  ?  did  you  read 
it  in  the  letter  ?  or  did  sojue-body  tell  vou  so  ?  or  hath  God 
himself  taught  you  this  ?  For  no  man  knows  the  Son  but  the 
Father,  andlie  toxvhom  the  Father  will  reveal  him  ;  and  there- 
fore, A\  hen  Peter  said,  Thou  art  Christy  the  Sofi  of  the  living 
God  ;  Christ  answered,  Flesh  and  blood  hath  not  taught  thee 
this,  but  my  Father  xvhich  is  in  heaven.  And  so,  though  all 
of  you  profess  yourselves  Christians,  yet  none  of  you  know 
Christ  truly,  but  only  such  as  are  taught  of  the  Father. 
And  this  holds  in  all  other  points,  as  touching  calling,  and 
faith,  and  union,  and  justification,  and  sanctification,  and 
the  gift  of  sealing  the  Spirit,  touching  the  spiritual  king- 
dom of  Christ,  and  the  government  of  it.  O  consider, 
whether  you  have  the  teachmg  of  God  in  these  things  or 
no  ;  and  if  you  have  not  the  teaching  of  God,  you  are 
none  of  the  children  of  the  church  ;  whatever  truth  thou 
knowest  from  the  letter,  if  thou  hast  not  the  teaching  of 
the  Spirit,  it  will  do  thee  no  good  ;  thou  knowest  not 
any  thing  spiritually  and  savingly,  wherein  thou  hast  not 
the  teaching  of  God.  All  thy  children  shall  be  taught  of 
the  Lord. 

And  therefore,  what  a  sad  thing  is  it,  when  men  look 
for  their  teaching  no  farther  than  men  ?  they  only  look  to 
the  minister,  or  to  such  an  able,  learned,  orthodox  man, 
as  they  phrase  it ;  or  at  the  highest,  to  the  Assembly  ;  and 
what  they  shall  teach  them,  they  are  resolved  to  stand  by 
it,  and  build  upon  it  for  their  foundation  ;  in  the  mean 
time,  never  regarding,  in  truth,  the  teaching  of  God  :  but 
say,  what,  can  so  many  grave,  learned,  godly  men  err  ?  and 
shall  not  we  believe  what  they  determine  ?  W^iy  now,  these 
are  none  of  the  children  of  the  spiritual  church  ;  for  they 
neither  have  God'^  teaching,  nor  care  for  it  \  but  the  spiri- 
tual church  is  all  taught  of  God. 


102  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

And  great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children. 

That  is,  when  men  are  taught  of  God,  then  there  is 
nothing  but  peace  among  them  ;  when  God  comes  and 
teacheth  thee,  and  me,  and  another,  and  many,  then  we  ail 
agree,  because  we  are  all  taught  of  God,  and  see  all  tlunfjs 
by  the  same  light,  and  apprehend  all  things  by  the  same 
Spirit,  because  all  have  the  same  teaching.  AntI  so  thr-y 
that  are  taught  of  God,  though  one  come  out  of  the  East^ 
and  another  out  of  the  JVest,  and  another  out  of  the  Souths 
and  never  had  any  former  communion  together,  yet  they 
ail  agree  in  the  same  truth,  and  think,  and  spealt  the  same 
things  ;  and  so,  there  is  love  and  amity,  and  peace  and  uni- 
ty among  them,  because  they  are  all  taught  of  God,  and 
liave  learned  the  truth,  not  as  it  is  in  this  or  that  man,  or  as- 
sembly of  men,  but  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

And  truly,  this  is  the  true  ground  of  all  the  differences 
and  dissensions,  and  heats  that  are  in  the  liingdom  at  this 
time,  to  wit,  because  some  are  taught  of  God,  and  some  are 
not  taught  of  God,  but  men  only  :  the  carnal  church  is  only 
taught  of  men,  and  goes  no  higher  ;  but  the  spiritual 
church  is  truly  taught  of  God.  Now  they  that  are  taught 
of  God,,  and  they  that  are  taught  of  men,  see  the  same 
truths  with  a  great  deal  of  difference,  and  hereupon  arises 
the  controversy  and  quarrel ;  for  one  will  have  the  truth 
as  he  sees  it  in  the  light  of  God ;  another  will  have  it  as  he 
apprehends  it  in  his  own  fancy  ;  and  the  carnal  man  will 
not  yield  to  the  spiritual  ;  and  the  spiritual  man  cannot 
yield  to  the  carnal.  Saith  one,  this  is  the  mind  of  God, 
and  I  have  learned  it  from  his  own  teaching  :  saith  anotlier, 
this  is  not  the  mind  of  God,  for  such  a  learned  minister, 
or  ministers,  taught  me  otherwise,  and  so  I  apprehend  it  ; 
and  thus,  as  the  flesh  and  spirit  are  contrary,  so  are  their 
teachings  :  and  hence  our  divisions  and  troubles.  But 
when  men  are  all  taught  of  God,  then  they  are  all  at 
peace  one  with  another,  and  all  do  agree  in  the  substance 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  103 

of  the  truth  of  the  gospel ;  and  if  some  do  not  know  the 
same  thmgs  they  do,  they  can  wait,  with  patience,  till 
God  also  reveal  that  unto  them  ;  for  they  know  with  all 
their  hearts,  that  they  themselves  could  never  have  known 
those  things,  except  God  had  taught  them  :  and  so  they 
cannot  be  angry  at  others,  whom  tlie  Lord  as  yet  hath  not 
vouchsiifed  to  teach  :  and  so  they  are  meek  and  gentle  to- 
wards ail,  as  beseems  the  spirit,  as  well  as  at  peace  among 
th<:rri  selves.  All  thy  children  shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord,  atid 
great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children  :  For  they  know,  that 
no  man  is  higher  or  lower  than  another  in  the  kingdom  of 
God,  but  are  all  equal  in  Jesus  Christ ;  they  know  that  no 
mail  can  challenge  Christ  more  to  himself  than  another, 
;ur  all  have  equal  interest  in  him,  and  Christ  is  alike  near 
ro  all  in  whom  he  dwells  ;  yea,  they  all  as  willingly  com- 
municate their  own  things  to  the  brethren,  as  they  them- 
selves do  partake  of  Christ's  things ;  and  so  there  is  no- 
thing but  peace.  When  men  know  that  no  man  is  any 
thing  in  himself,  but  every  one  is  all  that  he  is  in  Christ : 
and  when  men  love  Christ  merely  for  himself,  and  where 
they  see  most  of  Christ,  there  love  most ;  and  if  Christ  be 
more  in  another  than  himself,  can  love  such  a  one  more 
than  himself,  not  for  his  own  sake,  but  for  Christ's  sake ; 
then  there  is  nothing  but  peace.  Great  shall  b4Mhe  peace 
of  thy  children. 
Ver.  14.  In  righteousness  shalt  thou  be  established,  ^c. 
This  spiritual  church  had  need  of  establishment ;  for, 
when  God  hath  done  all  this  for  it,  when  he  hath  built  it, 
and  tauglit  it  himself,  it  shall  not  want  trouble  and  opposi- 
tion, and  contradiction,  and  persecution  in  the  world,  and 
therefore  it  stands  in  great  need  of  establishment.  But  how 
shall  this  be  done  ?  why  saith  he, 

/«  righteousness  shalt  thou  be  established. 
That  is,  not  by  any  outward  power  or  force,  or  armies, 
or  fortifications,  or  factions,  or  confederacies ;  all  these. 


104  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

are  but  a  staff  of  reed  ;  but  in  righteousness ;  and  that  is, 
both  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ  received  by  us,  and 
working  in  us  :  the  first  is,  the  righteousness  of  justifica- 
tion :  the  second  is,  the  righteousness  of  sanctification,  and 
our  estabiisliment  lies  in  both. 

1.  In  the  righteousness  of  justification,  which  is  called 
the  righteousness  of  faith,  or  Christ's  own  righteousness, 
received  into  us  :  and  in  this  sense  it  is  said,  Except  ye  be- 
lieve^ ye  shall  never  be  established :  for  by  faith  we  partake 
of  the  righteousness  of  God  through  Christ ;  and  this  is  an 
infinite  and  everlasting  righteousness,  that  hath  neither  spot, 
nor  blemish  in  it,  this  is  able  to  establish  us  for  ever  and 
ever  ;  so  that  the  church  hath  no  more  establishment,  than 
it  hath  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ  by  faith  ;  as  the  church 
goes  from  faith  to  faith,  so  it  goes  from  establishment  to 
establishment. 

2.  Our  establishment  lies  in  the  righteousness  of  our 
sanctification  ;  w  hich  is  nothing  but  Christ  working  in  us, 
as  the  fornier  was  Christ  dwelling  in  us  ;  for  the  same 
Christ  that  is  the  righteousness  of  our  justification,  is  the 
righteousness  of  our  sanctification.  Now  the  establish- 
ment of  the  church,  is,  when  we  let  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  work  all  in  us,  and  we  work  all  in  the  righteousness 
of  Chridpl  then  are  we  established  mightily  and  invincibly 
indeed ;  ^i^d  how  much  Christians  swerve  from  this  rule, 
so  much  they  become  weak  and  unsettled:  sometimes  Chris- 
tians will  be  living  out  of  Christ  in  themselves,  and  they 
will  be  moving,  and  acting,  and  working  according  to  hu- 
man wisdom  and  prudence,  and  the  counsels  aiui  devices 
of  flesh  and  blood,  but  in  all  this  they  have  no  establish- 
ment at  all.  And  therefore,  ye  that  are  faithful,  see  to  it, 
that  ye  turn  aside  Neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left, 
through  any  worldly  hopes  or  fears ;  but  do  ye  live  and 
act  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ :  and  as  the  Lord  lives, 
though  you  have  kingdoms  and  nations  for  your  enemies, 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  105 

you  shall  not  be  moved,  but  shall  be  established  more 
firmly  than  the  earth. 

And  therefore,  I  pray,  consideryour  establishment,  where 
it  lies,  and  that  is  in  righteousness,  and  in  righteousness 
only.  Some  trust  to  this  strength,  and  some  to  that,  som-e 
to  this  aid,  and  some  to  that  ;  but  the  spiritual  church 
scorns  to  trust  to  any  creature  for  establishment,  but  looks 
to  be  established  only  in  righteousness  ;  and  because  of 
this,  neither  men  nor  devils  shall  prevail  against  it.  And 
therefore,  you  that  are  of  this  temple  and  building,  which  is 
made  by  God,  seeing  you  have  so  many  enemies  on  all 
hands,  pray  look  to  your  establishment,  which  is  in  right- 
eousness :  /;;  righteousness  shalt  thou  be  established. 

Thou  shalt  be  far  from  oppression^  for  thou  shalt  not 
fear  ;  and  from  terror^  for  it  shall  not  come  near  thee. 

The  fear  and  terror  he  speaks  of  here,  is  inward  fear  and 
terror,  from  which  the  church  shall  be  free  in  the  midst 
of  all  outward  evils  ;  for  though  the  church  be  full  of 
danger  and  persecution  without,  yet  it  is  free  from  fear 
and  terror  within  ;  nay,  the  church  hath  trouble  without, 
but  peace  within  ;  affliction  without,  joy  within  ;  weakness 
without,  strength  within  ;  imprisonment  without,  liberty 
within  ;  persecution  without,  content  within  ;  against  all 
the  sorrows  and  sufferings  of  the  flesh,  they  have  refresh- 
ings, comforts,  hopes,  sweetnesses,  rejoicings,  triumphs  in 
the  spirit  :  and  so  in  the  midst  of  evil,  are  free  from  evil ; 
and  in  the  midst  of  sufferings,  are  free  from  pain  :  yea, 
they  rejoice  in  tribulations,  and  in  the  midst  of  evil  are  fil- 
led and  satisfied  with  good. 

Ver.  15.  Behold  they  shall  surely  gather  together^  but 
not  by  me  ;  whosoever  shall  gather  together  against  thee^ 
shall  fall  for  thy  sake. 

A  very  strange  thing  it  is,  that  the   spiritual   church, 

being  thus  builded,  and  taught  and  established,  any  should 

yet  be  so  blind,  and  mad,  as  to  engage  against  it  ;  and  yet 

O 


106  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

the  world,  and  the  carnal  church,  especially  doth  this  :  yea^ 
the  more  pure  and  spiritual  the  church  is,  the  more  enmity 
the  world  and  formalists  have  against  it. 

Behold  they  shall  surely  gather  together. 
When  they  shall  see  the  churches  gathering  together 
into  the  true  communion  of  saints,  then  will  they  gather 
themselves  together  against  the  churches  :  And  why  do 
these  men  blame  the  churches,  for  gathering  together 
unto  Christ,  when  they  themselves  gather  together  against 
the  church,  as  we  daily  see  ?  Indeed,  the  gathering  toge. 
ther  of  the  saints,  the  world  doth  most  hate  of  all  other 
things  :  O,  this  is  a  dreadful  and  terrible  thing  to  them  : 
it  makes  their  hearts  ake  within  them,  and  looseth  the 
joints  of  their  loins  ;  they  think  their  exaltation  will  be 
their  ov^ti  abasement  ;  and  their  gathering  together,  their 
own  scattering  ;  and  their  glory,  their  own  shame  ;  and 
their  strength  their  own  undoing  ;  and  out  of  these  con- 
ceits, the  world  acts  so  strongly  and  furiously,  to  scatter 
abroad  again  Christ's  own  gatherings  together.  But  the 
Lord  hath  decreed  and  promised,  to  hew  that  little  stone 
of  Christ's  spiritual  church,  out  of  the  mountain  of  the 
world,  without  hands,  and  will  certainly  accomplish  it, 
and  is  now  about  that  very  business  :  but  the  world,  that 
never  looks  beyond  sense,  they  think  this  is  surely  a  plot 
of  ours,  and  that  we  have  a  great  desigai  in  hand  :  and  so 
we  have  indeed  ;  but  the  design  is  not  our  design,  but 
God's,  contrived  in  eternity,  and  discovered  to  Daniel 
chap.  ii.  and  this  is  the  setting  up  a  khigdom  of  saints  in 
the  world,  under  Christ  the  king  of  saints,  wherein  the 
people  shall  live  alone  in  point  of  spiritual  worship  and 
communion,  and  shall  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  rest  of 
the  nations.  This  counsel  of  God  begins  to  be  accom- 
plished, and  the  world  thinks  that  we  are  subtil,  and  wc 
are  mighty  :  whereas  they  are  clearly  mistaken  in  us  ;  for 
the  wisdom  and  strength  whereby  this  is  done,  is  God's, 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  107 

and  not  ours.  For  it  is  the  Lord  must  build  this  spiritual 
church,  and  set  it  up  in  the  world,  and  preserve  it  against 
the  world,  and  cause  it  to  increase,  till  it  fills  the  world ; 
so  that  the  design,  and  the  accomplishment  of  it,  belongs 
to  God,  and  not  to  us  ;  and  they  that  are  displeased  at  it, 
let  them  go  and  quarrel  against  God  :  and  so  they  will  cer- 
tainly do,  through  the  operation  of  the  devil ;  Behold^  saith 
he,  they  shall  surely  gather  together :  As  soon  as  ever  thi^ 
church  separates  from  the  world,  the  world  gathers  toge- 
ther against  the  church. 

Yea,  this  place  is  not  only  to  be  understood  of  those  that 
are  open  enemies  without  the  church,  but  of  a  generation 
in  it,  that  are  not  of  it ;  and  so  the  giithering  together 
against  the  church,  shall  be  in  the  church  :  and  so  Calvin 
interprets  ;  and  such  a  thing  will  assuredly  come  to  pass, 
that  the  church,  as  well  as  the  kingdom,  will  have  domestic 
enemies ;  it  hath  been  so  in  all  ages,  and  what  wonder 
will  it  be  if  it  be  so  in  this  ?  The  first  division  in  this 
kingdom,  was  between  common  profession,  and  open  pro- 
faneness,  and  if  ever  there  be  another,  it  is  like  to  lie  be- 
tween the  form  and  power  of  godliness  ;  and  the  children 
that  are  born  after  thejiesh,  will  up,  and  be  persecuting  them 
that  are  born  after  the  Spirit ;  and  the  deepest  wounds  we 
shall  receive,  will  be  in  the  house  of  our  friends  ;  not  our 
friends  indeed,  but  of  such  who  seem  to  be  so  ;  for  they 
pray  as  well  as  we,  and  preach,  and  hear,  and  receive  the 
sacraments,  and  use  the  same  ordinances  with  us  ;  and  yet 
their  enmity,  of  all  other,  will  be  the  greatest  against  us ; 
and  we  shall  receive  deeper  wounds  in  the  houses  of  these 
friends,  than  in  the  streets  of  our  enemies.  They  shall  ga- 
ther in  thee,  against  thee. 

£ut  jiot  by  me. 

The  saints  gather  together  by  God,  having  the  Spirit 
ftf  God  to  bring  them  into  union  and  communion :  but  the 


108  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

carnal  church  gathers  together  against  the  spiritual,  not 
by  God,  but  without  him,  for  worldly  base  ends  and  in- 
terests, and  profits,  and  advantages.  But  mark  the  end 
of  such  gathering  together  : 

Whosoever  shall  gather  together  against  thee,  shall  fall 
for  thy  sake. 

For  the  Lord  loves  the  church,  the  body  of  Christ,  even 
as  he  loves  Jesus  Christ  himself;  thou  hast  loved  them  as 
thou  hast  loved  me.  He  loves  head  and  members  with  the 
same  love.  The  Lord's  people  are  his  portion  on  earth,  as 
he  is  theirs  in  heaven :  and  so  he  will  give  nations  and 
kingdoms  for  them  ;  and  hath  said,  The  natmis  and  Jdng- 
dojjis  that  wilhiot  serve  thee,  shall  perish  ;  yea,  those  nations 
shall  be  utterly  xvasted.  O  that  this  kingdom  in  itself,  and 
in  its  representation,  would  avoid  this  evil,  as  they  would 
escape  this  end. 

The  four  monarchies,  for  opposing  the  spiritual  church, 
have  fallen  for  its  sake  ;  and  so  shall  every  other  kingdom 
and  commonwealth,  that  undertakes  against  it ! 

\^er.  16.  Behold,  I  have  created  the  smith,  that  hlo7Vs  the 
coals  in  the  fire,  and  that  bringeth  forth  an  instrument  for  his 
work  ;  and  I  have  created  the  waster  to  destroy. 

Ver.  17.  But  no  weapon  that  is  formed  against  thee  shall 
prosper,  &V. 

Thou  art,  saith  God  to  the  church,  a  small,  weak,  de- 
spised, contemned,  persecuted  people;  but  thy  safetv,  pro- 
tection, bfessing,  lies  in  me,  and  in  my  power,  and  wis- 
dom, and  love. 

No  weapon  that  is  formed  against  thee  shall  prosper. 

God  blunts  the  edge  of  the  weapon,  and  weakens  the 
hand,  and  puts  fear  into  the  heart  of  him  that  useth  it ; 
and  so  no  weapons  that  have  been  used,  have  prospered 
hitherto ;  and  if  any  more  weapons  shall  be  used  hereafter, 
they  shall  be  as  unprosperous  as  these. 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  109 

And  every  tongue  that  shall  rise  against  thee  in  judgment  ^ 
thou  shall  condemn* 

Two  ways  yoii  see  the  enemies  of  the  church  assault  the 
church ;  by  their  hands,  and  by  their  tongues ;  and  this 
hitter  way  is  the  more  dangerous  of  the  two  :  by  the  for- 
mer, they  scourge  the  church  with  rods;  by  this  latter, 
with  scorpions.  This  weapon  of  the  tongue,  is  the  most 
dangerous  weapon  that  ever  was  used  against  the  church  in 
any  age,  and  the  last  refuge,  of  the  devil  and  his  instru- 
ments to  annoy  the  church.  And  thus,  when  the  enemy 
fails  at  the  strength  of  his  weapons,  he  undertakes  again 
with  the  malice  of  his  tongue  :  and  with  this  the  enemy 
strikes  against  the  saints  that  profess  the  truth,  and  against 
the  truth  itself,  professed  by  the  saints. 

Against  the  saints  that  profess  the  truth,  clothing  them 
with  odious  names,  and  loading  them  with  base  asper- 
sions;  their  tongues  rise  up  in  judgment  against  them; 
it  intimates,  they  shall  have  specious  pretences  against  the 
church.  O  these  are  the  men,  say  they,  that  would  turn 
the  v.'orld  upside-down,  that  make  the  nation  full  of  tumults 
and  uproars,  that  work  all  the  disturbance  in  church  and 
state ;  it  is  fit  such  men  and  congregations  should  be  sup- 
pressed, and  they  should  have  no  employments  in  church  or 
state  ;  it  will  never  be  a  quiet  world,  till  some  course  be  ta- 
ken with  them,  that  we  may  have  truth,  and  peace,  and  gov- 
ernment again.  And  thus  they  have  fair  pretences  against 
the  godly,  and  use  the  glorious  names  of  truth,  peace  and 
government,  to  the  destruction  of  them  all.  And  this  is 
the  sense  of  these  words,  for  their  tongues  to  rise  up  in 
judgment  against  them. 

Yea,  methinks  this  phrase  intimates  thus  much,  as  if 
they  would  call  in  the  aid  and  power  of  the  secular  ma- 
gistrates against  the  spiritual  Christians,  and  then  their 
tongues  rise  up  in  judgment  against  them  indeed  ;  and 
exceptthey  engage  the  magistrate's  power  against  the  saints, 


110  THE  BUILDING,  BEAUTY,  &c. 

they  think  they  can  never  do  them  mischief  enough.  And 
thus  their  tongues  rise  up  in  judgment  against  the  saints 
that  profess  the  truth. 

2.  As  the  enemy  strike  with  their  tongue  against  th6 
saints  that  profess  the  truth,  so  also  against  the  truth  pro- 
fessed by  the  saints  :  and  this  they  call  by  way  of  reproach, 
new  light. 

But  see  how  God  conquers  this  weapon  of  the  enemy's 
tongue  to  the  faithful,  as  well  as  the  former  weapons  of 
their  hands;  every  tongue  that  riseth  up  in  judgment  against 
thee^  thou  shalt  condemn.  All  that  reproach  and  slander, 
and  vilify,  and  abuse  the  saints,  either  by  their  tongues  or 
pens,  thou,  by  thy  uprightness,  integrity,  innocency,  truth, 
and  faithfulness,  shalt  condemn  them  ;  thy  ways,  and  thy 
works,  that  are  led  and  acted  in  Christ  and  his  Spirit, 
shall  be  the  condemnation  of  all  thine  enemies ;  and  their 
misreports  and  slanders  shall  be  done  away  as  a  mist  be- 
fore the  sun  ;  and  thy  righteousness  and  integrity  shall 
break  forth  in  that  clearness,  and  brightness,  and  strength, 
that  they  shall  sit  down  astonished  and  amazed  :  and  they 
shall  be  condemned,  not  only  by  the  word,  and  by  the 
saints,  but  by  all  the  common  morality  of  the  world,  yea, 
and  by  their  own  consciences ;  so  that  they  shall  carry  their 
guilt  with  them  night  and  day,  and  shall  not  be  able  to 
look  the  godly  in  the  face,  whom  they  have  so  reproach- 
ed ;  the  very  presence  of  the  saints,  shall  be  the  condemna- 
tion of  their  enemies,  who  have  before  so  unworthily  judg- 
ed them :  yea,  the  whole  world  shall  see  the  faithfulness 
and  integrity  of  the  saints  of  God,  and  shall  justify  them, 
and  condemn  their  enemies  ;  and  shall  say,  Lo,  these  are  the 
men  that  the  world  judged  as  sectaries,  and  schismatics,  and 
what  not !  See  how  faithful  they  have  been  to  God,  and  the 
true  church  of  God,  and  to  the  state  ;  and  surely  they  must 
be  bad  men,  that  arc  enemies  to  these.  And  thus,  while 
our  enemies  judge  us,  they  shall  be  condemned  them- 


OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  CHURCH.  Hl 

selves.  And  this  shall  certainly  be  done,  as  sure  as  the 
word  of  God  is  true,  and  as  sure  as  the  Lord  lives,  to  make 
good  his  word.     For, 

This  is  the  heritage  of  the  servants  of  the  Lord, 
That  is,  you  shall  have  this  by  as  sure  right  as  any  man 
hath  an  inheritance,  that  is  entailed  upon  him.  This  is 
your  heritage,  O  ye  servants  of  the  Lord,  to  make  void 
the  force  of  every  weapon  that  is  used  against  you,  and  to 
condemn  every  tongue  that  judgeth  you.  This  promise  is 
our  portion,  and  the  lot  of  our  inheritance ;  and  in  this  we 
rejoice,  that  while  we  serve  the  Lord  truly  and  faithfully, 
neither  the  hands  nor  tongues  of  the  enemy  shall  hurt  us, 
but  in  the  end  we  shall  be  more  than  conquerors  over  all. 
Let  my  portion  fall  in  this  pleasant  place  ^  and  I  shall  have  a 
goodly  heritage. 

And  their  righteousness  is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord. 
That  is,  these  servants  of  mine,  are  not  men  of  a  hu- 
man and  moral  righteousness  only,  but  they  partake  of 
the  righteousness  of  God  in  Christ ;  Their  right eous7iess  is 
of  me  :  or  thus,  though  they  are  sinners  before  the  world  (for 
as  the  world  reckons  their  own  sin  for  righteousness  ;  so  it 
reckons  God's  righteousness  for  sin,)  yet  they  are  righ- 
teous before  me,  and  in  my  eyes.  So  that,  however  the 
world  reckons  us  evil  does,  and  not  worthy  to  live  in  the 
world,  yet  God  reckons  us  righteous,  and  our  righteous- 
ness is  before  him. ' 

To  conclude  :  seeing  God  hath  engaged  himself  to  se- 
cure us  in  his  ways,  both  from  the  weapons  and  tongues 
of  men.  Go  and  tell  the  foxes,  that  wexvillxvalk  without  fear 
in  the  world,  both  to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  the  third  day  xve 
shall  be  perfected. 


\ 


RIGHT  REFORMATION, 

OR 

THE  REFORMATION  OF  THE  CHURCH 

OF 

THE  NEW  TESTi\MENT, 

REPRESENTED 

IN  GOSPEL  LIGHT. 


IN  A  SERMON,  PREACHED  BEFORE  THE  HOUSE  OF  OOMMOXS,  ON 
WEDNESDAY,  NOVEMBER  25tH,  1646. 


BY  WILLIAM  DELL. 

Minister  of  the  Gospel. 


John  vii.  12. 

*9nd  there  was  much  murmuring  among  the  people  concerning  him ; 
for  some  said,  He  is  a  good  man;  others  said,  A'cy,  but  He  de- 
ceiveth  the  people. 

John  xvi.  3. 

^ind  these  things  will  they  do  unto  you,  because  they  have  not  known 

the  Father,  nor  me. 

Credo  me  theologum  esse  christianum,  &  in  regno  veritatis  vivere ;  ideo  me 
debitorem  esse,  non  modo  affirmandx  veritatis,  sed  etiam  asserendx,  & 
defendendse,  seu  per  sanguinena  sea  per  mortem.     Litth. 


TO  THE  RElDEll. 

CHRISTIAN   READER, 

THE  times  we  live  in  are  dangerous  times  :  it  is  dangerous 
to  conceal  the  truth,  and  dangerous  to  publish  the  truth  ;  if  we 
publish  the  truth  God  hath  taught  us,  and  we  have  heard  and 
learned  from  the  Father,  we  fall  into  the  hands  of  men  ;  if  we 
conceal  it,  we  fall  into  the  hands  of  God.  And  therefore  in  this 
case,  in  a  contrary  choice  to'  David^  I  reckon  it  much  better  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  men,  than  into  the  hands  of  God  ;  seeing 
the  wrath  of  men  can  but  reach  the  body  ;  but  the  wrath  of  God 
body  and  soul.  I  shall  therefore  willingly  confess  Christ,  amids 
an  adulterous  and  sinful  generation,  not  doubting  but  Christ  will 
confess  me  before  his  Father^  and  before  his  angels.  And  for 
the  reproaches  of  men,  it  is  best  conquering  them,  as  Luther  was 
wont  to  say,  Silaido  £?*  contemnendo^  by  silence  and  contempt  of 
them  ;  seeing  a  man  may  as  easily  restrain  Satan  himself,  in  his 
various  workings,  as  stop  the  mouths  of  his  instruments.  And 
therefore  it  is  good  for  us  Christians,  to  do  the  work  of  God, 
without  so  much  as  taking  notice  of  such  men  :  and  if  some- 
times we  are  sensible  of  these  things,  because  we  are  flesh,  yet 
as  we  are  Christians,  we  are  above  them  in  the  Spirit,  and  see  al- 
ready in  certain  faith  and  hope,  all  evils  and  eiftmies  under  our 
feet  :  And  I  am  resolved,  neither  now  nor  hereafter  to  take 
them  any  more  into  consideration,  than  the  business  itself  neces- 
sarily requires  ;  and  where  they  may  be  omitted  without  preju- 
dice to  the  truth,  to  let  them  quite  alone  :  being  every  day, 
through  the  use  of  affliction,  enabled  to  patience,  and  through  pa- 
tience brought  to  experience,  and  so  to  a  proportionable  measure 
of  hope  :  And  this  carries  me  above  the  shame  of  the  world,  in 
the  strength  of  the  love  of  God. 

For  the  doctrine  contained  in  this  discourse,  thou  shalt  not 
find  it  new  light,  (as  some  men  slanderously  affirm)  but  the  an- 
oient  light  that  sprang  forth  in  the  first  morning  of  the  gospel, 
but  was  since  obscured  by  the  new  darkness  of  Antichrist,  which 
these  men  love  better  than  that  old  light,  and  willby  no  means  ex- 
change the  one  for  the  other.  But  considering  this  light,  that  now, 


116  TO  THE  READER. 

after  a  long  night,  breaks  forth  again  in  some  of  its  first  glory, 
let  these  men  set  their  hearts  at  rest ;  for  they  shall  nevtu"  be 
able  to  obscure  it  again  ;  and  the  fire  of  the  Spirit  that  God  hath 
kindled  in  the  kingdom,  they  shall  never  be  able  to  quench  with 
any  fire,  either  of  earth  or  hell.  And  therefore  we  fear  them 
not,  though  they  breath  forth  threatenings  now,  and  ere  long,  are 
like  to  breath  forth  blood  :  For  by  all  their  subtil  and  industri- 
ous actings,  in  the  end,  they  shall  not  work  the  truth's  ruin,  but 
their  own.  And  these,  as  well  as  their  forefathers,  of  the  same 
race  and  lineage,  in  whose  stead  they  are  now  risen  up,  shall,  in 
due  time,  become  a  reproach  and  a  shame,  and  their  name  shall 
be  for  a  curse  to  all  God's  chosen. 

Reader,  it  is  my  earnest  desire,  that  the  Lord  would  deliver 
thee  from  this  new  form  of  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  which  in  eve- 
ry age  puts  on  a  several  form,  when  the  old  one  is  discovered  by 
the  light  of  the  word.  And  in  this  present  age,  it  is  become- so 
exceeding  cunning,  and  so  furnished  with  all  deceivableness  of 
unrighteousness,  under  the  form  of  righteousness,  that  it  seems 
to  be  the  last  and  subtilest  work  of  Antichrist  that  is  now  in  hand  ; 
and  he  that  prevails  in  this  encounter,  hath  Antichrist  under  his 
feet  for  ever  :  but  none  are  like  to  prevail  here,  but  the  faithful 
and  elect  alone. 

And  therefore  holdfast  that  which  thou  hast^  that  no  man  take 
thy  crozvn,  Rev.  iii.  11.  and  consider  Christ's  eiicouragement  to 
this  work  in  the^oUowing  verse  ;  IIi?n  that  overcometh  will  I 
make  a  pillar  in^he  temple  of  my  God^  and  he  shall  go  no  more 
out  ;  and  I  xvill  write  upon  him  the  name  of  my  God^  and  the 
name  of  the  city  of  my  God  ;  -which  is^  New  Jerusalem^  which 
Cometh  doivn  out  of  heaven  from  my  God :  and  I  will  write  upon 
him  my  new  name. 

Christian  reader,  I  commit  thee,  and  the  word  now  offered 
to  thee  in  this  discourse,  to  God,  and  his  powerful  blessing,  and 
wonderful  working ;  Remaining^ 

Thine  in  the  difficulty  and  despised  service 
of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  gospel^ 

WILLIAM  DELL 


RlGriT  REFORMATION 


OR 


THE  REFORMATION  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  THE 
NEW  TESTAMENT, 

REPRESENTED  IN  GO£PEL  LIGHT. 


Heb.  ix.  10. 

U?itil  the  time  of  reformation. 

THE  natural  man  (saith  Paid^  1  Cor.  ii.)  knows  not 
the  things  of  the  spirit ^  neither  can  he ^  for  they  are  spiritu- 
ally discerned.  Now,  a  man  that  is  not  born  of  God  and 
his  Spirit^  with  all  his  parts,  abilities,  reason,  wisdom,  pru- 
dence, learning,  is  but  a  natural  man  still,  and  so  hath  no 
right  knowledge  of  the  things  of  God  and  his  Spirit. 

And  hence  it  hath  come  to  pass,  that  the  things  of  God 
and  his  Spirit  have  been  so  grossly  and  dangerously  mis- 
taken by  the  world,  and  the  carnal  church.  For  all  the 
spiritual  things  of  God  they  have  understood  carnally  :  and 
have  apprehended  the  whole  scriptures,  not  according  to 
God's  mind,  but  according  to  their  own  ;  not  according 
to  the  sense  of  the  spirit,  but  according  to  the  sense  of 
the  flesh.  An  thus  w^as  antichrist's  kingdom  first  set  up, 
and  tlius  it  hath  been  kept  up  and  continued ;  even  by 
the  carnal  understanding  of  the  scriptures.  For  they  have 
understood  the  church,  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  world, 
carnally  ;  the  rock  on  which  it  is  built,  carnally  ;  the  door 


118  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

of  this  kingdom  carnally  ;  the  laws  of  it  carnally  ;  the  li- 
berties of  it  carnally  ;  the  power,  authority,  government, 
glory,  officers,  Sec.  all  carnally.  And  to  this  very  day, 
which  of  the  things  of  God  doth  not  the  carnal  church  un- 
stand  carnally  ?  Faith,  hope,  love,  it  understands  car- 
nally ;  redemption,  adoption,  justification,  sanctification, 
glorification,  union  with  Christ,  communion  of  the  Spirit, 
access  to  the  Father,  together  with  Christ  the  head,  and 
the  church  the  body,  in  their  joint  union  and  offices,  and 
all  other  things,  they  understand  carnally,  and  have  a  flesh- 
ly sense  and  apprehension  of  them. 

And  as  they  understand  all  other  things  of  God's  king- 
dom carnally,  so  also  the  reformation  of  it ;  and  there  is 
not  greater  and  grosser  mistakes  about  any  of  the  things  of 
God,  than  about  this  :  men  imagining  the  reformation  of 
the  church,  which  is  altogether  a  spiritual  and  heavenly 
kingdom,  after  the  manner  of  the  reformation  of  worldly 
states  and  commonwealths,  which  only  stand  in  outward 
things,  and  is  brought  to  pass  by  human  counsels,  and  hu- 
man power. 

Now  because  this  is  not  only  a  gross,  but  a  general  error, 
in  all  sorts  of  people,  both  of  high  and  low  degree  :  I 
shall  endeavour  at  this  time,  according  to  the  good  hand 
of  God  with  me,  to  represent  in  some  gospel-light  to  this 
honourable  and  Christian  auditory,  the  true  reformation  of 
the  church  of  the  New  Testament :  And  blessed  is  lie  who 
shall  not  be  offended  at  it. 

For  this  purpose  I  made  choice  of  the  words  now  read, 
Until  the  time  of  reformation. 

For  the  better  understanding  of  which,  we  must  read 
the  context. 

Ver.  9.  The  first  tabernacle  was  a  figure  of  the  time  then 
present^  inwhichxv ere  offered  both  gifts  and  sacrifices^  that 
could  not  make  him  that  did  the  service  perfect  as  pertaining 
to  the  conscience. 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  1^9 

Ver.  10.  Which  stood  only  in  meats  and  drinks^  and  di- 
vers washings,  and  carnal  ordinances  (it  should  be  right- 
eousnesses or  justijications  of  the  Jlesh)  imposed  on  them, 
until  tJie  time  of  reformation. 

In  which  words  the  apostle  shews  the  imperfection  of 
the  worship  of  J;he  old  law,  because  it  stood  in  outward 
rites,  ceremonies,  duties,  performances,  and  so  could  not 
make  him  that  used  them,  and  was  busied  in  them,  perfect, 
as  pertaining  to  his  conscience ;  and  therefore  God  did 
not  simply  and  absolutely  impose  these  things  on  the 
church,  to  continue  for  ever,  but  only  until  the  time 
wherein  all  things  were  to  be  reformed,  not  only  evil  things, 
but  imperfect.  And  then,  all  that  outward  religion  was  to 
be  abolished. 

Now  if  the  law  of  Moses  could  not  make  men  perfect, 
as  pertaining  to  the  conscience,  much  less  can  any  new 
laws  invented  now.  And  if  any  such  laws  should  be  im- 
posed on  the  people  of  G.^^d  now,  the  gospel  hath  the  same 
strength  in  itself  to  make  them  void,  as  the  former ;  and 
also  the  same  ground  from  them,  because  all  such  laws  and 
ordinances  devised  by  men,  cannot  make  them  that  obey 
and  practise  them,  perfect  as  pertaining  to  the  conscience  : 
and  therefore,  are  all  to  be  at  an  end,  when  the  time  of  re- 
formation comes. 

Quest.  Now  if  you  ask  me,  when  this  time  of  reforma- 
tion was  ? 

Answ.  I  answer  :  It  was  when  Christ  came  :  not  a  ser- 
vant,  as  Moses,  but  the  Son,  out  of  the  bosom  of  the  Fa- 
ther, the  great  prophet  of  the  New  Testament,  whose 
doctrine  was  not  letter,  as  Moseses  was,  but  spirit  and  life. 
And  now,  when  Christ,  the  minister  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, came  with  the  ministration  of  the  spirit,  now  was  the 
time  of  reformation. 

In  the  time  of  the  law  there  were  outward  duties,  and 
performances,  and  ceremonies,  and  sacrifices,  and  strict 


120  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

laws  to  enjoin  the  observation  of  these  things,  carrying 
along  with  them  the  severity  of  death :  and  yet  notwith- 
standing all  this,  there  was  no  true  reformation  :  but  un- 
der all  that  outward  religion,  men  were  in\\ardly  as  cor- 
rupt and  wicked  as  the  very  heathen  :  for  all  their  circum- 
cision in  the  flesh,  they  were  uncircumcised  in  heart ;  for 
all  their  outward  washing,  they  were  inwardly  unclean  . 
for  all  their  blood  of  bulls  and  goats,  their  sins  remained 
in  their  natures  and  consciences  ;  for  all  their  strict  forcing 
of  men  to  the  duties  of  the  outward  worship  of  God,  the 
people  still  remained  far  from  God,  even  in  all  those  du- 
ties. So  that,  notwithstanding  the  outward  worship  of 
Moses''s  law,  the  people  remained  inwardly  corrupt,  filthy, 
and  unclean,  and  without  any  true  reformation  before 
God  ;  till  Christ,  who  was  God  in  the  flesh,  came  with  the 
ministration  of  the  spirit,  and  then  indeed  was  the  time  of 
reformation.     Until  the  time  of  reformation. 

The  thing  then  the  spirit  would  have  us  take  notice  of 
in  these  words,  is  this, 

Doctrine.  That  the  time  of  the  gospel  is  the  time  of  re- 
formation. 

Whenever  the  gospel  is  j:)reached  in  the  spirit  and  power 
of  it,  that  is  the  time  of  reformation. 

For  our  more  orderly  proceeding  in  this  point,  we  will 
observe  this  method. 

1.  Show  what  true  gospel-reformation  is,  and  how  it  is 
qualified  ;  that  so  you  may  the  better  distinguish  it  from 
political  and  ecclesiastical  reformation.  Now  both  these  I 
join  together,  because  the  carnal  church  hath  always  inter- 
ested and  mingled  itself  with  the  power  of  the  world,  as 
being  able  to  do  nothing  without  it. 

2.  I  will  endeavour  to  shew,  to  whose  hands  the  work 
of  gospel- reformation  is  committed. 

3.  By  what  means  he  to  whose  hands  it  is  committed, 
firings  it  about. 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  121 

4.  The  advantages  of  such  a  reformation  where  it  is 
wrought. 

5.  The  use. 

The  first  general. 

Wliat  true  gospel-reformation  is,  and  how  qualified. 

!•  What  it  is.  It  is  the  mortifying,  destroying,  and 
titter  abolishing  out  of  the  fnithful  and  elect,  all  that  sin, 
corruption,  lust,  evil,  that  did  flow  in  upon  them,  through 
the  fall  of  Adam.     Or, 

It  is  the  taking  away  and  destroying  the  body  of  sin  out 
of  the  faithful  and  elect,  by  the  presence  and  operation  of 
the  righteousness  of  God  dwelling  in  their  hearts  by  faith. 
This  is  true  gospel-reformation,  and  besides  this  I  know 
no  other.  This  the  evangelical  prophet  Isaiah  describeth, 
chap.  i.  27.  Zioii  shall  be  redeemed  with  judgment,  and  her 
converts  xvith  righteousness. 

Now  Christ  dwelling  in  our  hearts  by  faith,  as  he  dis- 
covers, reproves,  condemns,  and  destroys  sin,  so  he  is 
called  judgment :  and  thus  is  judgment  to  be  understood 
in  the  gospel  sense,  and  not  terribly,  as  in  the  sense  of  the 
law  :  and  this  judgment  shall  at  last  break  forth  into  vic- 
tory ;  that  is,  though  Christ  in  us  hath  to  do  with  many 
strong  corruptions,  and  lusts  in  the  soul,  yet  at  last  he  pre- 
vails against  them  all,  and  judgment  breaks  forth  unto  vic- 
tory :  because  Christ,  the  judgment  of  God  in  the  soul, 
must  needs,  in  the  end,  prevail  against  every  sin  of  man. 

Again  ;  Christ  the  righteousness  of  God,  as  he  makes  us 
righteous  with  his  own  righteousness,  and  makes  us  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him,  so  he  is  called  Righteous- 
ness ;  not  in  himself  only  but  in  us  :  He  is  the  Lord  our 
Righteousness  :  and  by  this  judgment  and  righteousness,  is 
Zion  and  her  converts  redeemed  and  reformed.  And  so 
true  gospel-reformation  is  the  destruction  of  sin  out  of  the 
faithful,  by  the  presence  of  righteousness. 

■  ,      Q 


122  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

And  therefore  you  see  how  grossly  they  are  mistaken,  who 
^take  gospel-reformation  to  be  the  making  of  certain  laws 
and  constitutions  by  the  sacred  power  or  clergy,  for  exter- 
nal conformity,  in  outward  duties  of  outward  worship  and 
government,  and  to  have  these  confirmed  by  civil  sanction, 
and  inforced  upon  men  by  secular  power  ;  when  i|^  the 
mean  time,  all  that  inward  corruption  and  sin  they  brought 
with  them  into  the  world,  remains  in  their  hearts  and  na- 
tures, as  it  did  before.  After  this  manner  the  old  prelates 
reformed,  who  were  wont  to  say  to  the  kings,  "  We  will 
study  out  the  faith,  and  you  shall  maintain  it  ;"  and  the 
faith  they  studied  and  brought  to  the  kings,  the  kings 
must  maintain,  and  not  question  but  that  it  was  Jure  Di- 
vino. 

And  thus  you  see  in  general,  what  gospel-reformation 
is,  and  that  it  is  clear,  it  is  a  different  thing  from  civil,  ec- 
clesiastical reformation. 

2.  Now  in  the  next  place,  let  us  see  how  this  gospel- 
reformation  is  qualified,  whereby  the  difference  between 
tliis  and  the  other  will  appear  yet  more  clearly. 

First  then,  it  is  a  spiritual  reformation.  For  as  the 
Kingdom  of  Christ  is  a  spiritual  Kingdom:  so  all  the 
things  that  belong  to  it  are  spiritual  things  ;  and  so  is  the 
reformation  of  it.  A  carnal  reformation  is  not  suitable  to 
a  spiritual  kingdom.  And  spiritual  it  is,  because  it  pro-  * 
ceeds  from  the  Spirit^  and  stands  in  spiritual  things,  as  you 
shall  see  more  fully  anon. 

But  now  the  reformation  of  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
state,  is  a  carnal  reformation,  wrought  by  the  powers  of 
flesh  and  blood,  and  stands  in  outward  and  fleshly  things, 
as  you  shall  presently  see. 

Secondly,    It  is  an  inward   reformation.     For  as  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  an  inward  kingdom,  fthe  kingdom  of 
God  is  withi?i  you)  so  the  reformation  that  belongs  to  it,  is 
an   inward  reformation.      This   true  gospel-reformation. 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  123 

lays  hold  upon  the  heart,  and  soul,  and  inner  man  :  and 
changes,  and  alters,  and  renews,  and  reforms  that  ;  and 
when  the  heart  is  reformed,  all  is  reformed.  And  there- 
fore this  gospel-reformation  doth  not  much  busy  and 
trouble  itself  about  outward  forms,  or  external  conformi- 
ty, but  only  minds  the  reforming  of  the  heart  :  and  when 
the  heart  is  right  with  God,  the  outward  form  cannot  be 
amiss.  And  therefore,  saith  Christ, touching  the  worship 
of  the  New  Testament,  God  is  a  Spirit ;  and  they  that  wor- 
ship him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth;  but  speaks 
not  one  word  of  any  outward  form.  So  that  God,  in  this 
gospel-reformation,  aims  at  nothing  but  the  heart,  accord- 
ing to  the  tenor  of  the  new.  covenant.  This  shall  be  the  co- 
venant that  Twill  make  with  them  after  those  days^  saith  the 
Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in 
their  hearts,  Jer.  xxxi.  33.  so  that  they  shall  not  only  have 
the  word  of  the  letter  in  their  books,  but  the  living  word 
of  God  in  their  hearts  :  and  God,  intending  to  reform  the 
church,  begins  with  their  hearts  ;  and  intending  to  reform 
their  hearts,  puts  his  word  there  ;  and  that  living  word  put 
into  the  heart,  reforms  it  indeed. 

But  now,  civil  ecclesiastical  reformation  is  only  outward, 
and  busies  itself  in  reforming  the  outward  man.  in  out- 
ward things,  and  so  is  very  industrious  and  elaborate  about 
outward  forms,  and  outward  orders,  and  outward  govern- 
ment, and  outward  confession,  and  outward  practice  ;  and 
thinks,  if  these  be  put  into  some  handsomeness  and  con- 
formity, they  have  brought  about  an  excellent  reforma- 
tion :  though  the  heart,  in  the  mean  time,  remains  as  sin- 
ful, vile,  and  corrupt  as  ever,  and  so  altogether  unreformed. 

And  so  this  reformation  is  like  that  reformation  of  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  notorious  hypocrites,  7vho  made  clean 
only  the  outside  of  the  cup  or  platter;  leaving  them  all  filthy  and 
unclean  within  :  and  whited  over  sepulchres,  to  make  them 
beautiful  outwardly,  when  inwardly  they  are  full  of  rotten- 


124  RIGHT  HEFORMATION. 

riess  and  corruption.  Matt,  xxiii.  25.  So  civil  ecclesias- 
tical reformation  makes  a  man  clean  outwardly,  with  an 
outward  confession  of  faith,  &c.  when  inwardly  he  is  all 
filthy  through  unbelief;  and  whites  him  over  with  a  few 
handi^pme  forms  of  worship,  when  inwardly  he  is  full  of 
ignorance  of  Godyaai^^theism. 

Object.  Now  if  ^ny  ask,  But  niust  there  be  no  change 
of  outward  things  in  ^e  reformation  of  the  gospel  ? 

Answ.  I  answer,  yes  ;  an  outward  change  that  flows 
froin  an  inward  ;  but  not  an  outward  change  without  an  in- 
ward *;  much  less  an  outward  change  to  enforce  an  in- 
ward. 

3.  It  is  a  thorough  reformation  ;  for  it  reforms  the 
whole  man  ;  it  reforms  not  the  soul  only,  but  the  body 
too,  and  the  very  spirit  of  the  mind  :  the  spirit,  as  it  ani- 
mates, and  quickens,  and  acts  the  body,  is  called  the  soul ; 
as  it  is  in  itself,  in  its  own  nature  and  essence,  so  it  is  cali-^; 
led  the  spirit  of  the  mind  :  and  this  gospel-reformation  re-, 
forpis  all  ;  that  is,  both  inward  and  outward,  and  outward,, 
and  inward  man;  yea  the  inwardest  of  the  inward  man  ;; 
and  not  only  the  operations  of  the  soul  in  the  body,  but  of 
the  soul  in  itself. 

But  civil  ecclesiastical  reformation  reforms  by  halves ; 
it  reaches  the  body,  and  orders  that,  but  attains  not  to  the, 
soul,  much  less  to  the  spirit  of  the  mind.  ;;  , 

Again  ;  Gospel-reformation  reforms  sin  wholly,  as  well, 
as  the  man  :  it  reforms  all  sin  whatsoever:  /  will  turn  my 
hand  upon  thee^  (saithGod  by  this  gospel-reformation)  mid 
Tvill purely  purge  away  thy  dross,  and  take  away  all  thy  tif}. 
Isai.  i.  25.  It  reforms  a  man,  not  only  of  outward  sins,  but 
of  inward.  Jt  reforms  him  of  those  sins  that  seldom  come 
forth  into  the  view  of  the  world,  as  atheism,  ignorance  of 
God,  pride,  vain-glory,  self-seeking,  hyprocrisy,  carnal- 
mindedness,  and  all  the  evil  desires  of  the  flesh,  and  of  the 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  XS^^ 

mind.  Yea,  it  doth  not  only  reform  all  evil  things  in  us, 
but  all  imperfect  things  :  doing  away  imperfect  things  by 
the  coming  of  perfect  things  :  floing  away  our  own  strength, 
by  the  coming  in  of  God's  strength  ;  and  our  own  'svisdom 
iind  righteousness,  by  the  Qornliigm  of  God's  wisdom  and 
righteousnes?.  ; 

Bvit  now,  civil  ecclesiastical  reformation  reforms  sin  by 
the  halves,  as  well  as  the  man  ;  and  ^o  only  reforms  out- 
ward and  gross  sins,  such  a;^  run  into  the  eyes,  of  the  world, 
which  are  the  least  by  a  thousan4  times,  of  the  evils  that 
a  man  hath  and  acts  ;  but  th^  greatest  part  of  sin,  it  still 
leaves  within  as  it  was,  , 

Fourthly,  It  is  a  povyerful .  a^id  mighty  reformation:  it 
is  wrought  in  a  man  by  the  very  power  of  God^^even  by 
the  Tight  hand  of  his  righteousness.  And  so  no  sin,  lust, 
corruption,  though  never  so  mighty,  is  able  to  resist  this 
work  of  God  by  the  gospel;  but  it  makes  the  whole  body 
of  sin,  and  the  vi^hole  kingdom  of  the  devil,  fly  in  pieces 
before  it:  The  power  of  God  in  creating  and  redeeming 
the  elect,  may  as  well  be  resisted,  as  the  power  of  God  in 
reforming  them :  for  it  is  a  power  above  all  power,  that 
God  puts  forth  in  this  work,  and  so  is  not  to  be  made  void 
by  any  creature.  In  every  stroke  of  this  work,  the  power 
of  the  Lord  God  Almighty  is  put  forth,  as  every  rightly  re- 
formed Christian  knows.  And  if  the  love  of  God  had  not 
put  forth  this  power  in  the  soul,  a  Christian  had  never  been 
reformed  ;  no,  not  from  one  sin. 

Now  the  power  of  this  reformation  eminently  appears, 
in  that  it  changeth  the  very  natures  of  men  ;  it  finds  them 
lions,  it  makes  them  lambs  j  it  finds  them  wolves,  it  makes 
them  sheep ;  it  finds  them  birds  of  prey,  it  makes  them 
doves  ;  it  finds  them  trees  of  the  forest,  it  makes  them  ap- 
ple-trees ;  in  a  word,  it  finds  them  flesh,  it  makes  them  spi- 
rit;  it  finds  theni  sin,  it  makes  them  righteousness. 
Mighty  indeed  is  the  power  of  this  reformation. 


126  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

But  now,  as  this  gospel -reformation  is  mighty,  so  civil 
ecclesiastical  reformation  is  weak :  for  as  the  former  hath 
the  power  of  God  engaged  in  it,  so  this  latter  hath  only 
the  power  of  man ;  and  so  can  do  no  such  works  as  the 
former.  I  appeal  to  all  that  are  spiritual,  what  heart  or 
nature  was  ever  changed  by  this  sort  of  reformation? 
For,  there  is  that  corruption  in  the  heart  of  every  man, 
that  is  able  to  stand  out  against  all  the  reformati- 
on that  all  the  powers  in  the  world  can  undertake. 
And  so,  the  reformation  managed  by  the  mightiest  and 
severest  power  of  man,  is  weak  as  water  in  this  busi- 
ness of  changing  natures ;  and  can  only  cliange  some  out- 
ward forms  and  postures,  and  the  like,  leaving  in  the  mean 
time,  a  man's  nature  the  same  as  it  was  before  ;  it  only 
puts  sheep's  clothing  upon  men,  which  is  easily  done;  but 
still  leaves  them  wolves  underneath. 

Fifthly  :  It  is  a  constant  reformation ;  a  reformation, 
which,  being  once  begun,  is  never  intermitted  again,  till 
all  be  perfected.  For  as  long  as  God's  nature  dwells  in 
ours,  it  will  ever  be  reforming  our  nature  to  itself,  till  it 
be  altogether  like  it.  As  long  as  the  Spirit  of  God  dwells 
in  the  flesh,  it  will  still  be  reforming  the  flesh  to  the  Spirit, 
till  the  whole  body  of  sin  be  destroyed,  and  the  natural 
man  be  made  spiritual.  So  that  the  whole  time  of  this 
life  that  is  lived  in  faith,  that  is,  in  union  with  Christ,  is  a 
time  of  continual  reformation  ;  and  a  Christian  is  daily 
washing,  cleansing,  and  purifying  himself,  till  he  purify 
himself,  even  as  Christ  is  pure. 

But  now,  civil  ecclesiastical  reformation,  at  first  makes  a 
great  noise  and  tumult  in  the  world,  and  afterward  lies  as 
still  as  a  stone.  For  such  reformation  reforms  states  and 
kingdoms  to  men's  own  profit,  honour,  power,  advantages  ; 
and  so  to  themselves,  rather  than  to  Christ.  And  when  men 
have  once  attained  to  their  own  ends,  their  activity 
ceases. 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  127 

Again,  it  brings  men  to  certain  outward  orders  and  con- 
formities, and  then  runs  round  as  in  a  mill,  and  goes  no 
farther. 

Again,  it  reforms  for  a  time,  and  not  constantly,  be- 
cause the  outward  power  being  taken  away,  nature  returns 
to  its  own  course  again.  For  state  ecclesiastical  reforma- 
tion only  changes  some  outward  works,  leaving  the  nature 
the  self- same  that  it  was  (as  you  have  heard.) 

Now  where  the  works  are  contrary  to  nature,  nature  bv 
degrees  returns  to  itself  again,  and  puts  an  end  to  those 
works  ;  and  so  there  is  an  end  of  that  reformation. 

And  thus  you  see  what  gospel- reformation  is,  and  how 
qualified  ;  whereby  you  see  it  clearly  differenced  from  civil 
ecclesiastical  reformation. 

And  O  that  that  prophesy  might  be  fulfiled.  The  eijes 
of  them  that  see  shall  not  he  dim^  and  the  ears  of  them  that 
hear  shall  hearken.  Isai.  xxxii.  3. 

The  second  general. 

To  whose  hand  this  work  of  reformation  is  committed. 

Now  that  is  only  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  great  and  only 
Magistrate  in  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  who  only  is  to 
do  all  that  is  done  in  the  church  of  God  :  He  is  the  Do- 
minus  Jac  totum  (as  they  say.) 

If  the  church  be  to  be  redeemed,  Christ  must  redeem 
it ;  if  it  be  to  be  governed,  Christ  must  govern  it ;  if  it  be 
protected,  Christ  must  protect  it ;  if  it  be  to  be  saved, 
Christ  must  save  it  :  All  that  is  to  be  done  in  the  church 
of  God,  Christ  only  is  to  do  it  ;  and  so  among  other 
things  to  reform  it  ;  that  is,  to  wash^it,  sanctify  it,  puri- 
fy  it. 

Christ  then  is  the  only  reformer  of  the  church  of  God- 
For, 

First :  God  hath  committed  the  care  of  the  church's  re- 
formation to  Christ  only,  and  to  nobody  else  :  and  this  is 
a  thousand  times  better  for  the  churcli,  than  if  he  had 


126  RIGHT  REFORM ATTOK. 

committed  it  to  all  the  princes  and  magistrates  in  the 
world.  All  things  are  giveti  to  me  of  my  Father,  saith 
Christ ;  and  the  church  above  all  other  things  :  Thine  they 
were,  and  thou  gavest  them' me  ;  thine  they  were  by  elec- 
tion, and  thougav est  them  me,  that  I  might  redeem  them, 
and  reform  them,  and  present  them  to  thee  again  without 
spot.  So  that  the  Father  hath  committed  the  care  of  the 
reformation  of  the  church  to  Christ. 

And  secondly  :  Christ  hath  taken  this  care  upon  him- 
self out  of  bbedience  to  his  Father,  and  love  to  his 
church. 

1.  Out  of  obedience  to  his  Father  :  for  he  saith,  /  came 
not  to  do  my  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me  :  and 
this  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  that  of  all  that  he  hath 
given  me  I  should  lose  none.  And  so  Christ  reforms  all, 
that  he  might  lose  none,  out  of  obedience  to  his  Father. 

2.  Out  of  love  to  his  church  he  takes  this  care  and 
charge  on  him.  For  such  is  the  love  of  Christ  to  the 
church,  every  where  so  graciously  discovered  in  the  gospel, 
that  he  doth  not  only  give  himself  for  us,  to  redeem  us; 
but  also  gives  himself  to  us,  to  reform  us.  Christ  dying 
for  us,  is  our  redemption ;  Christ  dwelling  and  living  irl 
us,  is  our  reformation. 

Thirdly  :  This  work  of  reformation,  is  only  suitable  to, 
and  convenient  for  Christ  the  head,  as  having  so  near  and 
dear  interest  in  the  church  his  body.  And  so  he  is  full  oif 
love,  and  bowels,  and  tender  compassions  to  the  church  \ 
He  will  not  deal  roughly,  ruggedly,  and  boisterously  with 
the  saints  ;  he  will  jiot  grieve  them,  and  vex  them,  and 
oppress  them,  and  crush  them  in  pieces :  but  he,  being 
their  head,  will  deal  meekly  and  gently  with  them  ;  He  will 
not  break  the  bruised  reed,  nor  quench  the  smoaking  fax. 
When  he  is  reforming  the  sins  and  corruptions  of  the 
faithful,  he  deals  with  them  in  the  very  love  and  good- 
nt  ss  of  God,  and  will  not  put  them  to  more  sorrow  than 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  129 

needs  must ;  and  when  he  must  needs  put  them  to  sorrow- 
in  the  flesh  (for  flesh  cannot  chuse  but  mourn  to  part  with 
itself  utterly  in  this  reformation)  yet  he  is  present  with  the 
comforts  of  his  Spirit  ;  and  when  he  hath  smitten  them,  is 
ready  to  heal  them,  and  to  bind  them  up  as  soon  as  he 
hath  broken  them.  He  deals  with  every  Christian  in  this 
reformation,  as  tenderly  as  a  man  doth  with  one  of  his 
own  members,  that  is  in  grief  and  anguish  ;  he  regards 
and  handles  him  as  his  own  body,  as  his  own  flesh.  And 
so  the  reformation  of  Christ  is  altogether  for  edication, 
and  not  at  all  for  destruction  :  for  it  is  his  own  body  he 
reforms,  and  so  doth  it  with  the  love  of  the  head. 

But  when  strangers,  whose  the  church  is  not,  set  upon 
reforming  it,  what  havock  do  they  make  of  the  church  of 
God  !  how  do  they  wound,  and  threaten,  and  punish,  and 
destroy  it !  and  have  no  reo:ard  at  all  .to  the  weak,  infirm, 
sorrowful  saints,  that  are  wrestling  with  many  ^loubts, 
fears,  agonies,  corruptions,  and  temptations,  till  they  are 
overtaken  with  the  very  shadow  of  death.  How  do  they 
persecute  them  that  are  already  smitten,  and  grieve  them 
more  that  are  already  w'cunded  I 

And  so  you  see,  that  he  only  that  hath  an  interest  in  the 
church,  as  being  the  head  of  the  church,  is  only  fit  to  re- 
form it  ;  whereas  the  reformation  of  strangers,  hath  more 
cruelty  in  it  than  love,  and  more  destruction  than  edifica- 
tion. 

Fourthly  :  Christ  is  only  able  for  this  work  :  for  the  re- 
formation of  the  church  is  as  great  a  work  as  the  redemp- 
tion of  it  ;  and  he  only  that  could  do  the  one  can  do  the 
other.  Christ  must  die  to  redeem  the  church,  and  he  must 
live  to  reform  it  :  and  so  as  the  government  of  the  church 
only  lies  upon  his  shoulders  who  is  the  head  ;  so  the  refor- 
mation of  it  only  lies  upon  his  hands,  and  his  hands  only 
are  suflicient  for  it.     If  all  the  angels  of  heaven  should  un 


130  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

dertake  the  work  of  reformation,  they  would  sink  under  it ; 
how  much  more  the  powers  of  the  world  ? 

For,  the  taking  away  transgression  for  us,  and  from  us, 
which  is  the  only  reformation  of  the  New  Testament,  is  a 
work  agreeable- to  none  but  the  Son  of  God  :  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, His  name  shall  be  called  Jesus^  for  he  shall  save  his  peo- 
ple from  their  sins  :  Wherefore,  having  the  reformation, 
and  Christ  for  their  reformer,  the  people  shall  be  saved  from 
their  sins  :  now  he  must  needs  be  the  righteousness  of  Gody 
that  must  save  people  from  sin. 

And  he  must  needs  be  God  in  the  flesh,  that  must  re- 
form the  flesh  ;  none  else  can  do  it. 

To  conclude  this  :  None  but  the  jxDwer  of  God,  and 
wisdom  of  God,  and  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is 
Jesus  Christ,  can  reform  the  church,  which  is  the  king- 
dom of  God  :  and  the  power,  wisdom,  and  righteousness 
of  men  have  no  place  at  all  here,  except  they  will  turn  the 
power,  wisdom,  and  righteousness  of  God  out  of  his  oflice  : 
for  so  speaks  the  Spirit  by  the  prophet /^«z«A,  chap.  ii.  17. 
The  loftiness  of  men  shall  be  boxveddoxvn^ajid  the  haughtiness 
of  men  shall  be  made  low^  and  the  Lord  alone  shall  be  exalt- 
ed. Now  what  is  the  loftiness  and  haughtiness  of  men,  but 
the  power,  wisdom,  and  righteousness  of  men  ?  and  all  this, 
saith  the  Lord,  shall  be  bowed  doivji^  and  laid  low  ;  and  the 
Lord  alone  shall  be  exalted ;  that  is,  Christ  alone,  who  is 
the  power,  wisdom,  and  righteousness  of  God  :  and  that  in 
the  day  of  the  church's  reformation,  as  well  as  in  the  day 
of  the  church's  redemption.  And  thus  you  see  that  Christ 
is  the  reformer  of  the  church,  his  body,  which  is  the  city 
and  kingdom  of  God. 

And  therefore  the  reformation  of  the  church  is  certain  ; 
for  Christ  will  as  surely  reform  it,  as  he  hath  redeemed  it ; 
and  all  that  the  Father  hath  given  him  he  hath  redeemed  ; 
and  all  that  he  hath  redeemed  he  will  reform,  that  he  may 
make  them  fit  to  present  to  God  :     That  so  all  that  the  Son 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  131 

hath  received  from  the  Father,  having  redeemed  and 
reformed  them,  he  may  give  them  back  to  the  Father 
again. 

So  that  I  doubt  not  of  the  church's  reformation,  be- 
cause it  is  Christ's  own  work,  and  he  hath  undertaken  the 
doing  of  it.  And  as  none  of  the  powers  of  the  earth  could 
help  him  to  reform  the  church  ;  so  none  of  the  powers  of 
hell  shall  be  able  to  hinder  him,  bat  as  many  as  he  hath 
redeemed  unto  God  by  his  blood,  in  his  due  time  he  will 
reform  them  all  by  his  Spirit,  as  belonging  to  his  care 
and  charge.  And  therefore  let  us  look  to  Christ  for  the 
reformation  of  his  church.  This  reformation  is  the  work 
of  Christ's  care  and  love  :  and  he  being  faithful  in  this 
business,  I  am  at  rest  and  quiet,  seeing  Christ  is  as  able 
for  the  reformation  of  the  church,  as  for  the  redemption 
of  it. 

And  therefore  (honourable  and  beloved)  I  say  to  you, 
touching  this  work  of  the  reformation  of  the  spiritual 
temple  of  the  New  Testament,  as  God  once  said  to  David 
touching  the  building  of  the  material  temple  of  the  Old 
Testament,  1  A7;?_g*^  viii.  18.  JVhereas  itwas  in  thine  hearty 
said  God,  to  build  an  house  to  my  name^  thou  didst  well  it 
was  iji  thy  heart.  Nevertheless^  thou  shah  not  build  the  house, 
but  thy  son  that  shall  come  out  of  thy  loins.,  he  shall  build  an 
house  unto  my  name.  And  elsewhere  he  renders  the  reason 
of  it,  why  Z)ai;z(/ should  not,  and  Solomon  should  build  this 
house  ;  because,  saith  he,  thou  hast  been  a  man  of  war  ^  and 
hath  shed  much  blood :  but  Solomon,  he  shall  live  and  flour- 
ish in  peace,  and  he  shall  do  it. 

So  say  I  to  you  touching  this  work  of  reformation. 
You  did  well,  in  that  it  was  in  you  hearts  to  reform  the 
kingdom  of  God,'  and  the  spiritual  church,  which  is 
Christ's  own  dear  body  ;  nevertheless  you  shall  not  reform 
it,  for  you  have  been  men  of  war,  that  is,  you  have  ma- 
naged a  great  and  mighty  war  against  great  and  mighty 


132  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

enemies,  and  have  shed  much  blood  ;  for  the  Lord  hath 
given  }'ou  the  necks  of  your  enemies,  and  hath  subdued 
them  under  you  that  rose  up  against  you,  and  you  have 
trod  them  down  as  mire  in  the  streets.  And  therefore 
you  shall  not  do  this  work,  having  been  men  of  war ;  but 
Christ,  the  prijice  of  peace,  he  shall  reform  the  church  of 
God  :  For  this  is  not  a  work  of  men  of  war,  but  of  the 
prince  of  peace  ;  seeing  this  is  not  a  work  of  human  might 
or  strength,  but  of  the  Spirit.  So  that  you  did  well,  that 
you  thought  to  reform  the  church :  but  when  you  shall 
vmderstand,  that  the  reformation  of  the  church,  is  as  great 
a  work  as  the  redemption  of  it,  you  will  acknowledge  the 
work  is  too  great  for  you,  and  that  it  belongs  only  unto 
Christ :  seeing  the  Father  hath  committed  the  care  of  this 
work  only  to  him  ;  and  he  hath  taken  this  care  and  charge 
upon  himself,  and  it  is  only  suitable  to  him,  as  being  the 
head  of  the  church :  and  he  only  is  able  for  it,  as  being  the 
Son  of  God,  and  equal  to  God. 

The  third  general. 

By  what  means  Christ  brings  this  reformation  about. 

And  that  is,  by  these  two,  and  them  only  ;  to  wit,  the 
v.'ord,  and  the  spirit. 

The  first  means  whereby  Christ  reforms  the  cliurch,  is 
the  word. 

By  this  Christ  doth  all  that  ever  he  doth  in  his  king- 
dom :  by  this  he  calls  and  rejects ;  by  this  he  binds  and 
looscth  ;  by  this  he  comforts  and  terrifies  ;  by  this  he  en- 
lightens and  makes  blind  ;  by  this  he  kills  and  quickens ; 
by  this  he  saves  and  damns ;  and  all  that  c\  er  he  doth  in 
this  kingdom,  he  doth  by  his  word,  and  without  this  he 
doth  nothing  of  all  that  he  doth.  Christ  doth  all  in  his 
kingdom  by  the  word  only  ;  but  antichrist  doth  all  things 
without  the  word,  even  by  the  decrees  and  constitutions  of 
men. 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  ]|33 

Now  as  Christ  doth  all  other  things  in  the  church  by  the 
word,  so  he  reforms  too  :  JVoiv  are  ye  clean  through  the 
word  that  I  have  spoken  to  you.  All  the  powers  in  the  world 
cannot  reform  the  church  as  the  word  of  God  can  do ;  for 
this  2s  quick  and  poiverfuU  und  sharper  than  a  two-edged 
sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spi- 
rity  and  of  the  joints  and  marrow,  and  is  a  descerner  of  the 
thoughts  and  inte?7ts  of  the  heart,  and  doth  change  and  re- 
new, and  reform  all. 

And  therefore  Christ,  when  he  comes  to  reform  the 
church,  comes  with  no  worldly  power  or  weapons,  but 
only  with  the  word  in  his  mouth  ;  yea,  though  God  set 
him  king  upon  his  holy  hill  of  Sion,  yet  he  reforms  not 
by  outward  power,  but  by  preaching;  saying,  I ivill pub- 
lish the  decree  whereof  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  me.  Thou  art 
7ny  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  And  ?tgain,  the  spirit 
of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  for  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the 
gospel.  And  again,  the  Redeemer  shall  come  to  Sion  :  and 
then  follows  the  covenant  of  God  with  the  Redeemer,  My 
word  shall  never  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  Isai.  iix.  10.  and 
in  Psal.  xlv.  the  church  saith  by  the  Spirit  to  Christ,  Ride 
on  prosperously  in  the  word  of  truth,  meekness,  and  right- 
rousneSs,  which  is  the  word  of  the  gospel. 

And  so  Christ,  when  the  time  of  reformation  was  come, 
went  up  and  down,  preacliing  the  word.  xA.nd  thus  he 
brought  to  pass  the  glorious  reforn^ation  of  the  New 
Testament,  by  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom,  and 
nothing  else. 

And  when  he  was  to  leave  the  vrorld,  he  sent  his  dis- 
ciples to  carry  on  the  work  of  reformation,  as  he  himself 
had  begun  it,  as  he  saith.  As  my  Father  sent  me,  so  send  T 
you  ;  not  with  the  power  of  the  world,  but  with  the  power 
of  the  word  :  and  so  he  bid  them  go  teach  all  nations,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  :  and  by  teaching  and 
preaching  to  the  world,  to  reform  the  world:  and  so  ac- 


134  KIGHT  REFORMATION. 

cordingly  they  did,  Marie  xvi.  20.  They  went  forth  and 
preached  every  where ^  the  Lord  working  with  them.  So  that 
Christ  sent  them  not  forth  with  any  power  of  swords,  or 
guns,  or  prisons,  to  reform  the  world  ;  or  with  any  power 
of  states,  or  armies :  but  sent  forth  poor,  ilhterate  me- 
chanic men,  and  only  armed  them  with  the  power  of  the 
word;  and  behold  what  wonders  they  wrought  by  that 
power  alone  !  They  turned  the  world  upside-down  ;  they 
changed  the  manners,  customs,  religion,  worship,  lives, 
and  natures  of  men  ;  they  carried  all  oppositions  and  diffi- 
culties before  them ;  they  won  many  in  most  kingdoms 
unto  Christ,  and  brought  them  into  walling  subjection  and 
obedience  to  him :  and  all  this  they  did,  I  say,  not  with 
any  earthly  or  secular  power,  but  by  the  ministry  of 
the  gospel  alone,  Christ's  great  and  only  instrument  for 
the  conquering,  subduing,  and  reforming  of  the  nations. 
And  so  the  power  appeared  to  be  God's  only,  and  not  the 
creatures. 

And  thus  you  see  how  the  word  is  one  of  the  means 
Christ  useth  for  reformation. 

And  this  word  only  works  a  right  reformation  :  for  this 
reforms  truly  and  indeed  ;  all  other  power  reforms  but  in 
appearance.  So  that  there  is  no  true  reformation  of  any 
thing  but  what  is  wrought  by  the  word :  but  whatever 
evil  is  reformed,  and  not  by  the  power  of  the  word,  it  is 
not  truly  reformed ;  it  is  only  reformed  in  the  flesh,  and 
not  in  the  spirit :  it  is  only  suspended  in  the  outward  ope- 
ration of  it,  but  the  seed  and  nature  of  it  still  remains  in 
the  heart,  to  grow  up  and  work  again,  as  opportunity 
serves.  And  therefore,  whatever  evil  or  corruption  is  re- 
formed in  thee,  see  it  be  reformed  by  the  power  of  the 
word  :  if  the  word  hath  killed  it  in  thee,  it  is  killed  in- 
deed ;  if  not,  it  is  alive  in  thee,  though  it  seem  to  be  dead. 
The  outward  power  of  the  world  may  set  up  an  image  of 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  135 

reformation,  but  it  is  the  word  only  can  work  true  refor- 
mation. 

And  therefore  let  us  learn  to  rely  on  the  word  for  the 
reformation  of  the  church. 

For  this  is  much  for  the  honour  of  the  word  (which  God 
hath  magnified  above  all  his  name)  when  we  can  neglect 
the  power  of  the  world,  and  leave  the  whole  work  of  re- 
formation to  the  power,  working,  and  efficacy  of  the  word 
alone,  which  is  almighty,  and  able  to  bring  off  the  heart 
from  all  things  to  God.  As  on  the  contrary,  it  is  a 
great  dishonour  to  God  and  his  word,  when  men  dare  not 
relie  on  the  word  alone  to  reform  the  church,  though  it 
be  stronger  than  men  and  angels,  and  ail  the  creatures  ;  but 
will  needs  be  calling  in  the  power  of  the  world,  and  rest 
and  rely  on  that,  for  this  work,  as  if  the  power  of  the 
word  were  not  sufficient.  But  let  such  men  know,  that  if 
the  power  of  tlie  word  will  not  reform  them,  all  the  power 
of  the  world  will  never  do  it.  And  therefore  well  said 
Luther^  Pradicare  annwitiare,  scribere  volo  ;  neminem  au- 
tem  vi  adigam  ;  "  I  will  preach,  and  teach,  and  write  ;  but 
I  will  constrain  nobody." 

O  therefore  that  our  civil  and  ecclesiastical  powers 
would  so  much  honour  Christ's  word,  as  to  trust  the  re- 
formation of  his  kingdom  with  it ;  and  that  as  it  is  suffi- 
cient to  reform  the  church,  so  you  would  be  pleased  to 
think  it  sufficient ;  and  thus  shall  you  give  Christ  and  his 
word  due  honour,  as  well  as  declare  your  own  faith. 

And  if  you  would  commit  this  work  to  the  power  of  the 
word,  to  which  only  it  belongs,  you  shall  soon  sec  what  the 
word  would  do.  There  is  no  such  glorious  sight  under 
heaven,  as  to  see  the  word,  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  it, 
come  in  to  an  unreformed  world,  and  to  observe  the  chan- 
ges  and  alterations  it  makes  there. 

And  thus  you  see  that  one  of  the  means  that  Christ 
useth  for  the  reformation  of  his  church,  is  the  word. 


136  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

But  here  I  must  farther  declare  to  you,  that  this  word 
by  which  Christ  reforms  the  church,  is  not  the  word  of 
the  law  ;  for  the  law  made  nothing  perfect,  but  the  word 
of  the  gospel ;  this,  this  is  the  only  word  that  works  re- 
formation. 

For  first. 

1.  This  word  works  faith  ;  and  tlierefore  it  is  called.the 
word  of  faith,  because  y«z>/z  comes  by  hearing  of  this  word. 
Rom.  X.  8.  and  ver.  17.  Now  as  the  word  works  faith, 
so  faith  apprehends  the  word,  even  that  fVord  that  was 
rvith  God,  and  was  God;  this  living  and  eternal  Word  dwells 
in  our  hearts  by  faith,  as  the  apostle  saith,  That  Christ  may 
divell  in  your  hearts  by  faith  :  And  this  Word  dwelling 
in  us  by  faith,  changeth  us  into  its  own  likeness,  as  fire 
changeth  the  iron  into  its  own  likeness,  and  takes  us  up 
into  all  its  own  virtues. 

And  so  the  word  dwelling  in  the  flesh,  reforms  the  flesh, 
and  it  dwells  in  us  through  faith,  and  faith  is  wrought  by 
the  gospel. 

So  that  the  word  whereby  Christ  reforms,  is  not  the- 
word  without  us,  as  the  word  of  the  law  is ;  but  the  word 
within  us,  as  it  is  written,  The  JFord  is  nigh  thee,  even  in 
thy.  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart ;  and  this  is  the  word  of  faith  : 
If  thou  live  under  the  word  many  years,  and  if  it  come  not 
into  thiy  heart,  it  will  never  change  thee,  nor  reform  thee. 
And  therefore  the  reforming  word  is  the  word  within  us, 
and  the  word  within  us  is  the  word  of  faith. 

2.  The  gospel  reforms,  because  it  doth  not  only  reveal 
Christ's  righteousness,  as  it  is  written.  The  righteousness  of 
God  is  revealed  from  faith  to  faith;  but  also  it  communi- 
cates it  to  us  ;  and  therefore  it  is  called  the  word  of  righ- 
teousness, because  it  works  righteousness.  So  that  Christ, 
the  righteousness  of  God,  is  conveyed  to  us  through  this 
word  of  righteousness.  And  when  the  righteousness  of 
(31  od,  revealed  in  the  gospel,  conies  and  d\^'elIs  in  us, 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  137 

what  reformation  of  sin  doth  this  work  ?  all  sin  perisheth 
at  the  rebuke  of  his  countenance  ;  for  the  righteousness  of 
God  \Vill  endure  no  sin  in  us ;  and  so  the  gospel  reforms 
by  working  righteousness  in  us. 

3.  The  gospel  reforms  because  it  shews  us  Christ ;  and 
by  shewing  us  him,  it  changeth  us  into  his  image  :  the 
more  we  see  Christ  in  the  gospel,  the  more  are  we  made 
like  unto  him;  that  as  we  have  born  the  image  of  the  earthly , 
so  we  may  bear  the  i?nage  of  the  heaverily  Adam. 

2.  Yea,  the  gospel  shews  us  God  in  Christ  in  all  his 
glory,  and  changeth  us  into  that  glory  of  God  which  is 
shown  us ;  we  all,  saith  Paul,  with  open  face  beholding  as  in  a 
glass  (and  this^/c^s  is  the  gospel)  the  glory  of  the  Lord^  are 
changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory  ^  even  as  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord :  so  that  the  gospel,  by  shewing  us  God, 
changeth  us  into  the  image  of  God  ;  and  God,  through  the 
gospel,  ariseth  on  us,  till  his  glory  be  seen  upon  us. 

And  thus  you  see  the  grounds  of  the  gospel  reforma- 
tion. 

So  that  now  the  word  of  the  gospel,  is  the  only  reform- 
ing word  :  and  if  there  be  never  so  much  preaching,  if  it 
be  but  legal,  it  will  reform  nobody  aright ;  because  there 
can  be  no  working  faith,  nor  communicating  righteousness, 
nor  changing  men  into  God's  image,  and  so  there  can  be 
no  true  reformation. 

And  thus  much  for  the  first  means  of  reformation  which 
Christ  useth,  which  is  the  word,  and  this  word,  the  gos- 
peL 

2.  Means,  the  Spirit. 

For  the  Spirit  accompanies  the  word  in  the  ministry  of 
the  gospel ;  and  therefore  the  gospel  is  called  the  ministra- 
tion of  the  Spirit ;  that  is,  the  word  and  spirit  in  union  and 
operation.  In  the  law,  there  was  the  letter  without  the 
Spirit,  and  so  that  could  do  nothing:  but  in  the  gospel, 
the  word  and  the  Spirit  are  always  joined  :  and  therefore, 

S 


138  RIGHT  REFORMATION, 

saith  Christ,  The  xvords  that  J  speak  are  spirit  and  life,  that 
is,  they  come  from  the  the  Spirit,  and  .carry  spirit  with 
them.  • 

And  tliis  Spirit  that  is  present  in  the  word  of  the  gospel, 
and  works  in  it,  and  is  given  by  it,  reforms  mightily  :  and 
therefore  it  is  called  the  Spirit  of  judgment  and  burning  ; 
and  the  Lord  looking  to  this  time  of  reformation,  pro- 
mised long  before,  to  pour  out  his  Spirit  upon  alljiesh,  and 
so  to  reform  all  flesh. 

Now  the  Spirit  poured  forth  upon  the  flesh,  reforms  it 
two  ways. 

1.  By  taking  away  all  evil  out  of  the  flesh. 

2.  By  changing  the  flesh  into  its  own  likeness. 

1.  The  Spirit  poured  forth  upon  the  flesh,  reforms  it 
all,  by  taking  all  evil  out  of  the  flesh  :  As  first,  all  sin  and 
corruption ;  saith  Paul,  If  you  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  flesh 
by  the  Spirit,  ye  shall  live :  the  deeds  of  the  flesh  are  not  to 
be  mortified  by  an}^  power,  but  by  the  Spirit;  all  pride 
and  envy,  and  lust,  and  covetousness,  and  carnaj-minded- 
ness,  and  all  other  evils  of  the  flesh,  are  reformed  by  the 
presence  of  the  Spirit  in  it,  and  no  other  way. 

2.  The  Spirit  reforms,  not  only  all  sins  in  the  church, 
but  all  errors,  and  heresies,  and  false  doctrines ;  as  is  evi- 
dent by  that  oi  Paul,  1  Cor.  iii.  12.  If  any  man  build  upon 
this  foundation,  gold,  silver,  precious  stones.,  wood,  hay,  stub- 
ble, every  man''s  work  shall  be  made  manifest ;  for  the  day 
shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  byfre,  and  the f  re 
shall  try  every  man^s  work  of  what  sort  it  is,  £sV. 

So  that  a  man  may  lay  Christ  for  a  foundation,  and  yet 
build  wood,  hay,  and  stubble  upon  him,  that  is,  human 
doctrines  and  the  inventions  of  men,  and  false  and  wicked 
opinions. 

2.  The  destruction  of  this  hay,  wood,  and  stubble,  that 
is,  error,  heresy,  and  human  doctrines,  in  the  church  of 
God,  tliat  is,  the  people  built  on  Christ,  shall  not  be  bv 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  XS9 

laws  of  states,  or  constitutions  of  councils,  but  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  is  as  fire. 

The  Spirit  shall  come  into  the  saints,  and  burn  up  all 
that  corruption  and  false  doctrine  that  will  not  endure  the 
Spirit ;  and  error  shall  never  be  destroyed  but  by  the  Spi- 
rit of  truth.  So  that  the  Spirit  reforms  all  error,  as  well  as 
all  corruptions  in  the  faithful. 

2.  The  Spirit  doth  not  only  reform  the  flesh  by  taking 
away  all.^vil  out  of  it,  whether  corruptions  or  errors ;  but 
also  it  changeth  the  flesh  into  its  own  likeness :  For  the 
Spirit  is  as  fire,  that  changeth  every  thing  into  itself:  and 
so  doth  the  Spirit  in  the  flesh,  make  the  flesh  spiritual : 
like  heavenly  fire,  it  changeth  men  into  its  own  likeness, 
and  makes  them  spiritual,  heavenly,  holy,  meek,  good,  lov- 
ing, &c. 

And  thus  the  Spirit  reforms  indeed :  When  the  Spirit 
is  poured  forth  upon  a  man,  how  wonderfully  doth  it  re- 
form him  !  this  works  a  change  in  him  in  good  earnest : 
and  no  man  is  ever  truly  reformed  till  he  receives  the 
Spirit. 

And  thus  you  see  the  means  that  Christ  useth  to  work 
this  reformation,  and  these  are  the  only  means. 

Object.  Yea,  but  I  hope  you  will  allow  secular  power 
too :  May  not  the  spiritual  church  of  Christ  be  reformed 
with  wordly  and  secular  power  ? 

Ans.  I  answer,  by  no  means  ;  and  that  for  these  causes. 

1.  Forceable  reformation  is  unbeseeming  the  gospel : 
for  the  gospel  is  the  gospel  of  peace,  and  not  of  force 
and  fury.  Civil  ecclesiastical  reformation  reforms  by 
breathing  out  threatenings,  punishments,  prisons,  fire,  and 
death  ;  but  the  gospel  by  preaching  peace  [k).  And  there- 
fore it  is  most  unbeseeming  the  gospel  to  do  any  thing 

(fc)  Though  the  truth  carries  its  evidence  in  itself,  and  the  wordoi" 
God  is  greater  than  all  the  testimonies  of  men,  yet  for  their  sakes 
that  are  weak,  I  have  inserted  the  judgments  of  some  godly  men  (as  i 


140  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

rashly  and  violently,  for  the  advancement  thereof:  for  the 
gospel  of  peace  is  not  to  be  advanced  by  violence;  and 
therefore  violent  reformers  live  in  contradiction  to  the  gos- 
pel of  peace,  and  cannot  be  truly  reckoned  Christians,  but 
enemies  to  Christianity  ;  since  Christianity  doth  all  by  the 
power  of  the  anointing,  but  antichristianity  doth  all  by  the 
power  of  the  world. 

2.  Forceable  reformation  is  unsuitable  to  Christ's  king- 
dom ;  for  Christ's  kingdom  stands  in  the  Spirit ;.  and  the 
force  of  flesh  and  blood  can  contribute  nothing  to  this. 

2.  Again  ;  the  faithful,  the  subjects  of  this  kingdom,  are 
a  spiritual  people,  and  so  they  are  without  the  reach  of  any 
outward  force ;  you  may  as  well  go  about  to  bring  the 

have  accidentally  met  with  them)  who  have  spoken  of  these  things  in 
the  spirit;  that  so  you  may  see  the  truth,  though  it  hath  but  few  fol- 
lowers, yet  it  hath  some.     Melancton  on  PsaL  ex.  3. hahebis  po- 

pulum,  non  coactum  gladio,  sed  verbo  collectum,  & Iseto  corde  amplec- 
tentem  evangelium,  &  te  sponte  celebrantem.  Discernit  igitur  eccle- 
siam  ab  imperiis  mundanis,  &  externam  servitttem  a  cultibus  cordis, 

accensis  voce  evangelii  &aspiritusancto. Ag.  Religio  cogi  non 

vult,  doceri  expetit.  Immanitate  non  stabilitur,  sed  evertitur.  Polan. 
This  Charles,  to  whom  Leo  gave  the  title  of  the  most  Christian  king, 
was  a  great  conqueror,  and  overcame  many  nations  with  the  sword  : 
and  as  the  Turk  compelleth  to  his  faith,  so  he  conjpelleth  with  vio- 
lence to  the  faith  of  Christ;  but  alas,  the  true  faith  of  Christ  where- 
unto  the  Holy  Ghost  draws  men's  hearts,  through  preaching  the  word 
of  truth,  he  knew  not.  &c.  Tindal.  Fides,  sua  sponte,  non  coacteagere 
vult.  Lath.  Christus  non  voluit  vi  &  igne  cogere  homines  ad  fidem. 
Luth.  Heereticoscomburere,  est  contra  volantatemspiritus.  Luth.  He 
hath  given  in  the  church  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  to  inforce  with, 
and  not  the  sword  of  the  magistrate.  Prorsus  diversa  ratio  est  regni 
Christi  Sf  mundi.  Mundani  magistratus  quae  volant  imperant,  &  sub- 
diti  coguntur  obedientiam  prsestare.  At  in  Regno  Christi,  quod  non 
est  mundana  aut  pontificia  dominatio,  sed  spirituale  regnum,  nihil 
simile  geritur,  sed  quivis  alterius  j  udex,  &  quilibet  al  teri  subjectus  est. 
At  tyranni  &  animicadse  illi,  nihil  morantes  vocem  Christi,  regnum 
meum  non  est  de  hocmundo,ex  ecclesia,  politiam  civilem,  seu  potius 
gontificitun  iraperium  coustituerunt.  Luth. Quare  ipsam  sedem 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  141 

angels  oi'  heaven  under  an  outward  and  secular  power,  as 
the  faithful,  who,  being  born  of  the  Spirit,  are  more  spiri- 
tual than  they.  And  what  hath  flesh  and  blood  to  do  with 
them  that  are  born  of  the  Spirit,  in  the  things  of  the  Spi- 
rit ?  And  therefore  touching  this  kingdom  which  is  spi- 
ritual, and  beyond  not  only  the  power  but  the  cognizance 
of  the  world,  God  hath  said.  There  shall  he  none  to  kill  nor 
to  hurt  in  my  holy  mountain.  Isai.  xi.  9.  And  again  ;  Vio- 
lence shall  no  more  be  heard  in  thy  streets,  wasting  nor 
destruction  witJiin  thy  borders.  IsUi.  Ix.  18.  ' 

3.  As  they  are  a  spiritual  people,  so  also  a  willing  peo- 
ple ;  and  what  needs  outward  power  to  force  a  people 
made  willing  by  the  spirit?  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the 
day  of  thy  power ^  Psal.  ex.  3.     The  very  day  of  Christ's 

bestiae  nego,  iiiliil  moratus  sit  ne  bonus  vel  malus,  qui  in  ea  sedet. 
Sedes  inquam  quae  sit  super  omnes  sedes,  nulla  est  in  ecclesia  super 
terrain  jure  divino,  sed  omnes  sunt  tequales  quia  una  fides,  unum  bap- 
tisma,  unus  Christus,  &c.  huih. 

Where  there  is  no  worldly  superiority  over  one  another,  there  is 
no  worldly  compulsion  of  one  another.  In  the  natural  body,  there  is 
no  convocation  of  many  members  to  govern  one,  or  of  more  members 
to  govern  fewer ;  but  the  foot  performs  its  office  without  being  under 
the  authoritative  power  of  the  hands  ;  yea,  each  member  performs 
its  office  aright,  without  being  in  subordinatien  to  another,  by  the 
guidance  of  that  head  to  which  it  is  united,  and  of  that  spirit  that 
dwells  in  it  ;  each  ijiember  having  an  immediate  influence  of  the 
head  upon  itself,  though  it  may  outwardly  seem  to  be  further  from 
the  head  than  another  member.  And  thus  it  is  in  believers  and  con- 
gregations. Quid  autem  vi  &  coactione  opus  vobis  est,  qui  hujusmodi 
certamen  decertatus,  in  quo  cogi  nemo  debet  ?  Ulrichus  ah  Hutteiu 
to  the  council  of  priests. 

What  need  you  the  power  of  the  magistrate  to  defend  the  truth, 
who  have  so  many  scriptures  to  defend  it  ?  the  truth  of  God  being  to 
be  defended  by  the  word  of  God,  and  not  by  the  power  of  men.  Jdcm. 
I  could  produce  many  more  testimonies  ;  but  these  are  sufficient  to 
shew,  that  I  am  not  alone  in  this  point,  against  forceable  reforma- 
tion ;  but  have  the  armory  of  David  to  defend  it  withal,  on  which 
there  hang  a  thousand  bucklers,  all  shields  of  mighty  men. 


142  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

power  is  not  to  force  men  against  their  wills,  but  to  make 
them  willing.  The  Spirit  of  God  that  brings  them  to  this 
kingdom,  makes  them  willing  to  obey  God  there,  and 
gives  them  pleasure  in  that  obedience,  by  shedding  abroad 
the  love  of  God  in  their  hearts.  They  that  are  not  a 
willing  people,  belong  not  to  Christ's  kingdom,  but  to 
the  world. 

3.  By  this  forceable  reformation,  human  institution  is 
set  up ;  for  the  power  of  the  world  reforms  by  the  pru- 
dence of  the  world ;  and*men  never  use  human  power  in 
the  church,  but  they  first  make  human  laws  in  it ;  and  hu- 
man laws  are  the  rule  of  human  power.  And  so,  by  this 
means  the  authority  of  men  is  made  to  have  power,  not  in 
the  things  of  men,  but  in  the  things  of  God ;  which  is  the 
great  dishonour  of  God,  and  his  authority. 

4.  It  brings  men  into  blind  obedience,  and  makes  them 
obey  what  is  commanded  on  pain  of  punishment,  though 
they  know  not  whether  it  be  right  or  wrong,  with  the  word> 
or  against  the  word  :  So  that  a  man  shall  say,  that  which 
I  do  I  am  constrained  to  do,  and  therefore  I  do  it  because 
I  am  constrained. 

I  read  in  Frith' s  answer  to  the  bishop  of  Rochester ,  that 
a  youth  being  present  at  his  father's  burning,  the  officers  see- 
ing him,  resolved  to  examine  him  also,  to  try  if  they  might 
find  him  a  sectary  or  an  heretic  :  but  the  youth  dismayed  at 
the  sad  sight  of  his  father's  death,  and  fearing  the  like 
end  himself,  being  asked  of  one  of  them,  how  he  believ- 
ed? Answered,  sir,  I  believe  even  as  it  pleaseth  you.  And 
so,  the  more  outward  and  violent  power  is  used  upon  men, 
the  more  of  this  kind  of  faith  and  obedience  you  shall 
have  :  When  men  shall  see  prisons,  and  banishments,  and 
loss  of  goods,  and  death,  walking  up  and  down  the  king- 
dom for  the  reformation  of  the  church,  you  shall  at  last 
have  men  say,  sirs,  we  will  believe  and  do,  even  as  it 
pleaseth  you  :  We  will  believe  as  the  state  pleaseth,  or 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  143 

we  will  believe  as  the  council  pleaseth  ;  and  let  them  make 
what  confession  they  will,  we  had  rather  believe  them,  than 
endure  them. 

And  thus  by  fear  and  punishment,  many  men  are  brought 
to  say  and  do  that  which  they  neither  believe  nor  understand: 
and  how  acceptable  such  popish  faith  and  obedience  is  unto 
God,  all  spiritual  Christians  know,  and  every  man's  con- 
science, methinks,  should  be  convinced. 

5.  It  makes  men  hypocrites  and  not  saints ;  for  it  for- 
ceth  the  body,  and  leaves  the  heart  as  it  was  ;  for  the  heart 
cannot  be  forced  by  outward  power,  but  by  the  inward 
efficacy  of  the  truth  :  Now  the  hearts  of  men  being  cor- 
rupt, what  are  all  outward  duties  they  are  forced  to,  but 
so  much  hypocrisy  ?  So  that  forceable  reformation  makes 
only  hypocrites  and  gilded  sepulchres,  putting  a  form  of 
godliness  upon  the  outward  man,  \vhen  there  is  no  power 
of  godliness  in  the  inner  man,  but  a  power  of  ungod-' 
liness. 

That  reformation,  with  which  the  uncleanness  of  the 
heart  stands,  is  none  of  Christ's  reformation. 

What  is  the  reformation  of  the  outward  man,  when  the 
heart  is  full  of  atheism,  ignorance  of  God,  adultery,  pride, 
murder,  &:c.  and  all  the  corruptions  of  nature  ?  Call  you 
this  a  reformation  of  the  church  of  Christ  ?  This  reforma- 
tion makes  none  saints,  but  all  hypocrites,  forcing  men's 
actions  contrary  to  their  natures. 

6.  It  causes  disturbances  and  tumults  in  the  world; 
when  men  are  forced  by  outward  power  to  act  against 
their  inward  principles,  in  the  things  of  God,  what  dis- 
turbances and  tumults  this  hath  bred  in  states  and  king- 
doms, who  knows  not  ?  So  that  they  that  lay  hold  on  the 
power  of  men,  and  go  about  to  reform  hearts  and  con- 
sciences by  outward  violence,  are  never  the  cause  of  re- 
formation, but  alv/ays  of  tumult :  And  this  renders  the 


144  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

cause  of  the  gospel  grievous  and  odious  to  the  world,  ra- 
ther than  commends  it.  And  therefore,  let  all  that  love 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  abstain  from  outward  violence ;  for 
they  that  use  the  sword  in  this  kind,  shall  in  the  end  perish 
by  the  sword. 

A  man,  when  he  sins  not  against  the  state,  may  justly 
stand  for  his  state  freedom  ;  and  to  deprive  a  man  of  his 
state  liberties  for  the  kingdom  of  Christ's  sake,  as  it  caus- 
eth  disturbances  in  the  world,  so  let  any  man  shew  me  any 
such  thing  in  the  gospel. 

7.  Christ  useth  no  such  outward  force  himself,  for  he  is 
meek  and  lowly  in  spirit ;  and  not  boisterous  and  furious 
in  the  flesh.  And  it  was  foretold  of  him,  that  he  should 
not  strive,  nor  cry,  nor  lift  up  his  voice  in  the  streets,  to  call 
in  outward  and  secular  aid,  and  power.  He  never  used 
the  power  of  the  world,  but  did  all  by  die  power  of  the 
word ;  even  his  very  punishments  and  destructions  he  ex- 
ecutes by  the  word  ;  He  shall  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod. 
of  his  mouth,  and  with  the  breath  of  his  lips  he  shall  slay  the 
wicked:  And  antichrist  himself,  his  greatest  enemy,  he  de- 
stroys by  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  the  brightness  of  his 
coming. 

2.  Neither  did  Christ  command  his  apostles  to  use  any 
such  outward  power,  but  he  sent  his  disciples  to  preach, 
and  bid  them  say,  into  what  house  soever  they  entered, 
peace  be  to  this  house  ;  and  if  men  would  not  receive  peace, 
and  the  doctrine  of  peace,  not  to  force  them,  but  to  depart 
thence,  and  to  shake  off  the  dust  of  their  feet,  as  a  witness 
against  them,  that  they  had  been  there,  according  to  the 
will  of  Christ  and  the  Father,  and  offered  them  mercy 
and  salvation,  which  tliey  refused.  And  this  is  all  that 
the  ministers  of  the  gospel  can  do  to  any  that  refuse  their 
doctrine  ;  and  not  to  go  presently  to  the  secular  magistrate 
to  ask  power  to  punish  them,  or  imprison  them,  or  sell 
their  goocls,  as  is  now  practised  in  some  parts  of  the  king- 


RIGHT  REFOR^L\TION.  145 

"^ 

doni,e  vcn  upon  the  saints  :  and  if  men  be  wicked,  is  it 
not  misery  enough  for  them  to  refuse  eternal  life,  except 
also  they  inflict  on  them  temporal  death  ?  Is  it  not  misery 
enough  for  men  to  refuse  the  good  things  of  heaven,  ex- 
cept they  also  deprive  them  of  the  good  things  of  this  pre- 
sent life  ?  and  yet,  as  Luther  said  of  the  clergy,  Quancio  non 
invocat  brachium  seculare^  &?  morte  utraqiie  terret  mundum? 
When  doth  it  not  call  upon  the  secular  power,  and  terrify 
the  world  with  both  deaths  ?  Surely,  Christ  and  the  word 
approve  not  these  ways.  For,  Matt.  xvii.  Christ  imposeth 
no  other  punishment  on  them  that  would  not  hear  the 
church,  than  that  he  should  be  reckoned  as  a  heathen  ;  and 
Paid^  Titus  iii.  teacheth  us,  after  once  and  twice  admonition, 
to  avoid  an  heretic,  but  not  to  imprison  him,  or  kill  him, 
or  banisli  him :  and  again,  thei/  that  do  these  things  shall 
not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God;  and  again,  he  that  be- 
lieveth  not,  shall  be  damned;  but  not  one  word  of  out- 
ward or  corporal  punishment  in  all  the  gospel. 

3.  Yea,  Christ  reproveth  his  disciples  for  discovering 
such  a  spirit  of  tyranny,  as  to  punish  men  for  not  receiv- 
ing him,  Luke  ix.  when  the  apostles,  of  a  prelatical  and 
antichristian  spirit  in  that  particular,  desired  fire  to  come 
down  from  heaven  upon  them  that  would  not  receive  him, 
Christ  did  severely  rebuke  them,  saying.  Ye  know  not  of 
what  spirit  ye  are  ;  not  of  Christ's  Spirit,  which  is  meek, 
but  of  Satan's,  who  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning,  and 
of  antichrist's,  his  first  begotten  in  the  world  :  and  he  adds, 
the  Son  of  man  came  not  to  destroy  merfs  lives,  but  to  save 
them  ;  and  therefore  to  go  about  to  turn  the  gospel,  not  to 
save  men's  lives,  but  to  destroy  them,  and  so  to  change 
Christ  himself,  from  a  Saviour  into  a  destroyer ;  this  is 
antichrist  triumphant. 

All  these  things  shew  that  worldly  power  hath  no  place 
at  all  in  the  reformation  of  the  gospel,  0 

T 


146  RIGHT  REFORMATION. 

Now  I  should  have  proceeded  here  to  answer  some  ob- 
jections, as  namely : 

Objection  1.  That  of  Luke  xiv.  compel  them  to  come  in: 
this,  I  forgetting,  named  not. 

Object.  2.  May  a  Christian  then  live  as  he  list  ? 

Answ.  No,  by  no  means ;  for  he  hath  the  word  and 
Spirit  in  him,  to  keep  him  from  living  as  he  list ;  and  he 
knows  that  no  man  in  God's  kingdom  may  live  as  he  wills, 
but  as  God  wills. 

Object,  3.  But  would  you  have  no  law  ? 

Ansiv.  No  laws  in  God's  kingdom,  but  God's  laws ; 
and  these  are  a  thousand  times  better  than  all  the  laws  of 
men  :  and  they  are  these  three  : 
The  law  of  a  new  nature. 
The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  that  is  in  Christ. 
The  law  of  love. 

Object.  4.  But  would  you  have  no  government  ? 

Answ,  Yes,  but  the  government  of  Christ  the  head,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost  the  Spirit,  in  and  over  the  church  the 
body.  They  that  would  govern  the  faithful,  the  members 
of  Christ's  own  body,  make  themselves  the  head  of  those 
members ;  and  so  antichrist  may  as  well  be  found  in  a 
combination  of  men,  as  in  one  single  person. 

Object.  5.  But  would  you  have  no  order  ? 

Answ.  Yes,  the  best  that  is;  even  such  an  order  as  is' 
in  the  body  of  Christ ;  where  every  member  is  placed  by 
Christ,  and  none  by  itself;  the  order  of  the  spiritual  church, 
is  a  spiritual  order,  and  not  a  carnal. 

Object.  6.  But  would  you  have  sin  suffered  *? 

Ansxu.  No,  but  more  truly  and  thoroughly  destroyed 
than  any  power  of  the  world  can  destroy  it ;  even  by  the 
Spirit  of  judgment  and  bur?iing.  ' 

Object.  7.  But  would  you  have  sinners  suffered  ? 

Answ.  No,  but  punished  more  severely  than  any  powers 
of  the  world  can  punish  them  :  For  he  shall  smite  the  earth 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  I47 

with  the  7'0(I  of  his  mouthy  and  with  the  breath  of  his  lips  he 
shall  slay  the  wicked. 

And  as  for  those  that  are  outwardly  M'icked,  the  magis- 
trate is  to  keep  them  in  order  for  the  quiet  of  the  state ;  he 
having  power  over  their  persons,  estates,  and  hves. 

I  should  also  have  proceeded  to  the  next  thing,  the  ad- 
vantages of  such  a  gospel-reformation  where  it  is  wrought ; 
together  with  the  uses  :  but  because  I  would  not  be  over- 
long,  I  pass  by  these  things,  and  so  proceed  no  farther  in 
this  discourse. 

But  now,  being  brought  hither  by  an  unexpected  pro- 
videwce,  I  shall  crave  liberty  to  speak  a  few  words  to  you, 
in  the  behalf  of  two  kingdoms,  that  is,  this  kingdom, 
and  God's. 

1.  That  which  I  have  to  request  of  you  for  this  king- 
dom, is,  that  you  would  regard  the  oppression  of  the  poor, 
and  the  sighing  of  the  needy:  Never  was  there  more  injustice 
and  oppression  in  the  nation  than  now  ;  I  have  seen  many 
oppressed  and  crushed,  and  none  to  help  them.  I  be- 
seech you  consider  tins  with  all  your  hearts ;  for  many 
who  derive  power  from  you,  are  great  oppressors.  And 
therefore  I  require  you  in  the  name  of  God,  to  dis- 
charge the  trust  that  God  hath  put  into  your  hands  ;  and 
so  to  defend  the  poor  and  father  less,  to  do  justice  to  the  ajffiic- 
ted  and  needy ,  to  deliver  the  poor  and  needy,  and  to  rid  them 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  wicked :  This  is  your  business,  dis- 
charge your  duty  :  if  you  will  not,  then  hear  what  the  Lord 
saith,  For  the  oppression  of  the  poor,  for  the  sighing  of  the 
needy,  now  will  I  arise,  saith  the  Lord,  Psal.  xii.  5, and  God's 
rising  in  this  case,  would  prove  your  ruin.  If  you  will  not  do 
God's  work  in  the  kingdom,  which  he  hath  called  you  to,  he 
will  do  it  himself  without  you  ;  as  it  is  written,  He  shall  deli- 
ver the  needy  when  he  crieth,  the  poor  also, and  him  that  hath 
no  helper,  Psal.  Ixxii.  12.  he  shall  save  their  souk  from  deceit 


148  lllGHT  REFORMATION. 

and  violence  ;  the  common  evils  of  the  times.     And  this 
is  all  that  I  have  to  say  for  this  kingdom. 

%  I  have  a  few  more  things  to  say  touching  God's  king- 
dom ;  and  the  first  is  this  : 

1.  That  as  Christ's  kingdom,  and  the  kingdoms  of  the 
world  are  distinct,  so  you  would  be  pleased  to  keep  them 
so ;  and  not  mingle  them  together  yourselves,  nor  suffer 
others  to  do  it,  to  the  great  prejudice  and  disturbance  of 
both. 

2.  That  you  would  be  pleased  to  think  that  Christ's 
kingdom  (which  is  not  of  this  world)  hath  sufficient  power 
in  itself  to  manage  all  the  affairs  of  it,  v/ithout  standing 
in  need  of  any  aid  or  help  from  the  world  ;  seeing  the 
power  of  man  is  of  no  place  or  use  in  the  kingdom  of  God, 
which  is  not  a  temporal,  or  an  ecclesiastical  dominion,  but 
a  spiritual. 

3.  That  you  would  suffer  the  little  stone  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  to  be  hewn  out  of  the  mount^n  of  the  Roman 
monarchy,  whereof  this  kingdom  is  a  part,  without  hands, 
even  by  the  power  and  efficacy  of  the  word  and  Spirit ; 
seeing  the  hands  of  men  cannot  help,  but  hinder  this 
work,  which  is  to  be  done  without  hands  :  And  that  your 
might  and  your  power  would  please  to  let  God  do  this 
■^vork  of  his,  without  might  and  without  power,  and  by  his 
Spirit  only. 

4.  That  you  would  be  pleased  to  suffer  the  assemblings 
of  the  saints,  both  publicly  and  privately,  as  occasion 
serves,  seeing  this  can  be  no  prejudice  to  the  state,  but 
a  great  advantage ;  in  as  much  as  they  meet  peaceably, 
and  make  no  tumults,  and  in  their  assembling  pray  for 
the  peace  and  welfare  of  this  divided  and  distracted  king- 
dom. And  also,  that  you  take  heed  of  scattering  those 
churches,  that  meet  in  the  name  and  spirit  of  Jesus  Christ, 
(u'luch  are  Christ's  own  gatherings  together)  lest  Christ 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  149 

so  scatter  }'ou  abroad,  that  you  never  be  gathered  together 
again. 

5.  Tliat  you  take  heed  you  do  nothing  to  the  preju- 
dice of  the  faithful,  God's  own  people  ;  as  he  hath  warn- 
ed you  by  the  Spirit,  sa}'ing,  Touch  not  mine  anointed^  and  do 
my  prophets  no  harm.  This  place  hath  been  miserably  mis- 
taken :  for  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  the  clergy  have 
shared  it  between  themselves,  whereas  indeed  it  belongs  to 
neither ;  for  God's  anointed  are  the  faithful,  that  are  anoint- 
ed with  the  Spirit,  the  oil  of  God,  and  so  are  anointed  as 
Christ  was  anointed.  And  these  anointed  ones  are  the 
Lord's  prophets,  and  the  Lord  hath  no  prophets,  but 
such  as  are  anointed  with  the  Spirit.  Thus  Christ  was 
made  the  Lord's  prophet.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 
for  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel;  and  thus  are  all 
his  brethren  made  prophets ;  being  fellows  with  him  in 
his  unction.  And  therefore  take  heed  how  you  meddle 
with  the  Lord's  anointed  ones,  and  with  the  Lord's  pro- 
phets ;  for  as  it  is  said,  He  suffered  no  man  to  dothem  wrong, 
yea, he  even  r  eprovedkings for  their  sakes,  saying,  Touchiiot, 
^c.  So  the  Lord  hath  still  the  same  care  of  the  same  peo- 
ple, and  will  suffer  no  man  to  do  them  wrong,  but  will 
reprove  kings  and  parliaments,  and  kingdoms,  and  cities, 
and  counties,  and  committees,  he  will  reprove  them  all  for 
their  sakes,  and  say.  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  and  do  my 
prophets  no  harm  :  for  they  that  are  anointed  with  the  Spirit, 
are  the  flesh  of  Christ,  and  the  prophets  of  God,  and 
therefore  touch  them  and  harm  them  at  your  own  peril. 
It  grieves  me  to  see  the  rest  of  the  kingdom,  touching 
these  anointed  ones  of  God,  and  doing  harm  to  these  his 
prophets,  abusing,  and  spoiling,  and  imprisoning  them  ; 
it  would  grieve  me  much  more  if  1  should  see  you  doing 
the  same  :  for  this  would  bring  you  as  well  as  the  king- 
dom under  God's  own  reproof;  and  the  reproof  of  God, 
who  can  endure  '^ 


150  RIGHT  REF0RMATION. 

Sixthly  and  lastly  :  Take  heed  you  do  not  hinder  the 
free  passage  of  the  gospel.  When  God  hath  put  his  Spirit 
into  the  hearts  of  men,  take  heed  how  you  resist  the  word 
in  those  men's  mouths;  for  the  word  of  God,  in  the  mean- 
est instrument,  can  never  be  resisted,  but  will  carry  all 
before  it ;  the  honour,  power,  dignity,  authority,  nobility, 
and  magistracy  of  the  kingdom,  if  they  should  once  stand 
up  to  hinder  the  word  of  God,  the  word  of  God  would  car- 
ry  them  all  before  it. 

And  therefore  it  grieves  me  to  see  how  the  city,  country, 
counties,  towns,  and  villages,  do  all  rise  up  for  the  most 
part  against  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit ;  for  this  is  a 
certain  sign  of  the  undoing  of  them  all :  God  will  suffer 
and  endure  any  sin  long,  but  only  the  contempt  and  op- 
position of  the  gospel :  but  when  men  once  rise  up  against 
the  gospel,  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  it,  they  are  sure  to 
be  undone  by  it,  and  to  be  shattered  all  in  pieces ;  for  this 
brings  swift  vengeance. 

And  therefore,  when  I  see  the  generality  of  the  people 
of  all  sorts,  rise  up  against  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit 
(which  God  hath  now  in  these  days  of  ours,  set  up,  even 
in  every  county,  for  salvation  to  his  people,  but  for  a  stone 
of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence,  to  the  rest)  I  am  then 
exceedingly  distressed,  and  pained  at  the  very  heart,  for  thee, 
O  England,  and  for  all  thy  cities,  and  towns,  and  inhabi- 
tants;  for  thou  that  dashest  against  the  Spirit  in  the  gospel, 
how  shalt  thou  be  dashed  in  pieces  thyself,  and  there  shall 
be  no  healing  for  thee  ! 

I  could  hope  for  peace  again,  and  good  days,  suddenly 
in  this  kingdom,  but  for  this  sin  of  the  contempt  and  op- 
posing the  gospel ;  and  this  makes  my  hopes  even  at  an 
end  ;  and  the  day  of  my  fear  is  come  forth  upon  me. 

But,  O  you  honourable  and  beloved  Christians,  let  not 
your  souls  enter  into  those  men's  secrets,  neither  yet  walk 
in  their  open  and  public  ways  ;  for  ruin  and  destruction 


RIGHT  REFORMATION.  151 

are  in  their  paths,  and  the  way  of  peace  they  shall  never 
know,  seeing  God  is  about  to  enter  into  controversy  with 
all  flesh,  for  tlieir  rising  up  against  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit.  And  therefore  be  wise  here,  I  beseech  you,  that 
in  the  shattering  of  the  nation  (if  there  be  no  remedy)  you 
may  be  kept  together  as  a  blessed  remnant,  and  a  hopeful 
seed  of  the  following  generation. 

To  conclude :  honourable  and  worthy,  we  will  be  wil- 
lingly contented  to  do  and  suffer  all  things  with  you  ;  we 
will  cheerfully  run  through  honour  and  dishonour  with 
you  ;  fame  and  infamy,  gain  and  loss,  trouble  and  quiet- 
ness, war  and  peace,  life  and  death  ;  and  do  desire  to  re- 
serve nothing  to  ourselves,  .Yisi  unictim  verhum  domin'i^  but 
only  the  word  of  God,  in  its  own  purity  and  liberty,  to 
preach  it,  and  to  publish  it,  and  to  profess  it,  and  to  prac- 
tise it,  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  his  only  begotten  Son,  and 
for  the  good  of  his  kingdom,  and  this  kingdom. 

And  thus  much  unto  you  from  the  Lord. 


THE 

WAY  OF  TRUE  PE\CE  AND  UNITY, 

IN  THE 

TRUE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST, 

IN  ALL  HUMILITY,  AND  BOWELS  OF  LOVE,  PRESENTED  TO   THEM". 

BY  WILLIAM  DELL, 

One  of  the  least,  and  most  unworthy  of  the  Servants  of  God, 
in  the  Gospel  of  his  dear  Son. 


Psalm  cxx.  7. 
I  am  for  peace  J  but  when  I  speak,  they  are  for  war. 

Utrum  nos  schismatic!  sumus  an  vos,  nee  ego  nee  tu,  seel  Christus  interrogetiir 
lit  indicet  ecclesianri  suam,  Augxist.  contr.  liter.  Petil.  I.  2,  c.  85. 


u 


TO  THE  HONOURABLE, 

THE  C03IM0NS  OF  ENGLAND, 

ASSEMBLED  IN  PARLIAMENT. 

AS  you  are  busy  about  the  peace  of  the  kingdom,  to 
settle  and  establish  that  upon  a  right  and  sure  founda- 
tion :  so  God  hath  engaged  my  heart  to  meditate  the 
peace  of  the  church.  And  though  I  have  excluded  your 
power  from  having  a  hand  in  this  work,  yet  I  have  not 
in  any  measure  wronged  you,  as  you  shall  perceive,  but 
rather  endeavoured  to  preserve  you  from  dashing  your- 
selves against  that  rock,  against  which,  all  the  ignorant 
and  unwise  rulers  and  kingdoms  of  the  world,  both 
have,  and  yet  shall,  dash  themselves  in  pieces.  It  shall 
be  your  wisdom  to  be  built  up,  together  with  the  church, 
on  Christ ;  but  it  would  be  your  confusion,  to  go  about 
to  build  the  church  on  yourselves  and  your  power ;  see- 
ing this  building  is  too  weighty  for  any  foundation,  but 
Christ  himself.  Your  power  will  do  well  in  the  king- 
doms of  the  world,  but  not  in  God's  kingdom,  which  is 
Christ's  inheritance,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  You 
shall  be  happy  to  be  subject  in  it,  but  none  must  be  lord 
or  law-giver  here  but  Christ  himself.  Let  not  the  devil, 
who,  in  these  last  times,  hath,  in  many  places,  translated  the 
mystery  of  iniquity,  from  the  ecclesiastical  kingdom  of 
the  clergy,  into  the  temporal  kingdom  of  the  magistrate, 
any  longer  keep  it  there  :  seeing  it  will  be  as  pernicious 
in  this,  as  in  that :  for  it  will  be  no  less  dangerous  an 
evil,  for  the  magistrate  to  make  himself  lord  and  law-giver 
in  the  church,  than  for  the  Pope,  or  general  council,  in 
all  the  kingdoms  called  Christian  ;  as  for  the  archbi- 
shop or  national  assembly  in  particular  kingdoms.  Men 
have  commonly  thought,  that  to  preserve  the  godly  in 
worldly  peace  and  prosperity,  is  to  preserve  the  church; 
whereas,  to  preserve  them  in  faith,  hope,  love,  in  union 


156  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 

and  communion  with  Christ  and  the  Father,  in  and  through 
the  Spirit,  this  only  is  to  preserve  the  church ;  and  this 
often  times,  is  better  done  by  Christ,  whose  work  only  it 
is,  in  affliction,  than  in  prosperity.  Wherefore,  do  you 
look  to  the  care  of  the  state,  and  trust  Christ  with  the 
care  of  his  church,  seeing  he  is  both  faithful  and  able  to 
save  it  perfectly.  The  peace  of  the  church  lies  in  Christ 
only,  and  no  part  of  it  out  of  him,  no  not  for  a  moment; 
and  this  their  peace,  Christ  is  able  to  preserve  in  himself, 
in  the  midst  of  the  most  cruel  and  desperate  evils  of  the 
world.  Now  what  the  true  church  of  Christ  is,  and 
wherein  its  peace  and  unity  lies,  is  here,  in  some  measure 
declared,  for  the  good  of  the  faithful  every  where  :  and 
particularly  for  your  good  ;  lest  you,  being  glorious  instru- 
ments in  the  hand  of  God  for  one  work,  should  miscarry 
in  another.  And  this  I  have  done,  through  God,  not  be- 
cause I  was  worthy  to  do  it,  but  because  it  was  worthy  to 
be  done.  For  why  should  the  church  any  longer  be  ig- 
norant of  the  things  that  belong  unto  its  peace  ?  and  whv 
should  the  members  of  it  any  longer  lie  as  scattered 
bones,  dry  and  dead,  and  not  gathered  up  into  the  unitv 
of  a  living  body  ?  and  who  could  longer  endure,  to  see 
unskilful  physicians,  under  pretence  of  healing  the  church, 
wound  it  still  deeper ;  and  under  pretence  of  procuring  its 
peace,  hurry  it  into  endless  dissensions  and  divisions.  In 
this  case  of  necessity,  I  could  not  but  speak,  both  out  of 
duty  and  love  ;  and  I  hope  none  of  you  will  despise  to  hear, 
who  consider,  that  God,  when  he  lays  aside  the  wise  and 
prudent,  chooses  babes  and  sucklings  to  perfect  his  praise 
out  of  their  mouths;  that  so  he  himself  may  be  the  more  glo- 
rified and  admired  in  his  weak  and  mean  instruments. 
Now  let  his  praise  be  above  the  earth  and  the  heavens ; 
and  let  him  give  you  the  honour  that  all  his  saints  have: 
and  this  is  his  hearty  desire,  who  humbly  writes  himself, 
Your  servant  in  the  gospel^ 

WILLIAM  DELL. 


TO  HIS  EXCFLLENCY 

THK  LORD  GENEIIAL  FAIRFAX, 

AND  THE  HONOURABLE 

LIEUTENANT  GENERAL  CROMWELL,  TOGETHER 
WITH  THE  COUNCIL  OF  WAR. 

I  THOUGHT  good,  while  3011  are  busy  about  the 
peace  of  the  kingdom,  which  is  a  peace  without  you,  to 
put  you  in  mind  of  tlie  true  peace  of  the  true  church, 
which  is  a  peace  within  you,  and  an  eternal  peace,  as  the 
former  is  but  a  temporal ;  for  what  advantage  will  it  be  fcr 
you,  to  have  peace  among  men,  and  to  want  ptace  witi 
God  ?  to  do  the  work  of  God  in  the  world,  and  to  be  des- 
titute of  the  work  of  God  in  your  own  hearts  ?  to  destoy 
the  enemies  to  worldly  peace,  and  yet  to  maintain,  in  yair 
own  hearts,  the  corruptions  of  unrenewed  nature,  wh'vh 
are  the  enemies  of  heavenly  peace  ?  Take  heed  therefore, 
that  your  present  employments  do  not  so  over-engage  you 
in  this  world,  that  you  neglect  the  world  to  come :  .^ke 
heed,  lest  by  seeking  yourselves,  you  have  your  revard 
here  :  but  do  the  work  of  God,  for  God  ;  and  whilst  you 
act  for  God,  live  in  him,  and  let  him  be  your  rewarc,  and 
not  the  creature. 

And  now  here,  in  this  discourse,  shall  you  see  a  better 
peace  and  agreement  than  you  are  striving  for,  (though 
your  work  also  be  excellent  and  glorious ;)  even  such  a 
peace  and  agreement,  of  which  Christ  himself  is  the  im- 
mediate author  and  prince,  and  which  he  comrrunicates, 
not  to  the  world,  but  to  them  he  chooses  out  of  the  world, 
even  the  peace  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  Spirit,  which 
hath  its  foundation  in  Christ ;  and  its  influence  into  each 
communion  of  saints,  all  the  world  over  :   And  this  peace 


158  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 

can  no  more  he  brought  about  by  your  sword,  than  by  the 
magistrate's  sceptre  ;  and  therefore  take  heed,  lest  you  now, 
having  power  in  your  hands  to  another  purpose,   should 
so  far  forget  yourselves,  as  to  do  that  yourselves,  which  you 
have  condemned   in  others.     Therefore  suffer  the  word 
only,  to  be  both  sceptre  and  sword  in  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  let  the  true  church  remain  free,  in  the  freedom  which 
.Christ  hath  conferred  upon  it;  or  else,  the  Lord,  whose 
lown  the  church  is,  will  as  certainly,  in  his  due  time,  take 
the  sword  out  of  your  hands,  as  he  hath  done  the  sceptre 
but  of  the  magistrate's,  and  throw  you  into  one  destruction 
Ivith  him.     But  I   am  persuaded  better  things  of  you, 
|:l>ough  I  speak  thus,  and  even  such  things  as  are  suitable 
tc  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  to  the  virtues  and  graces  of 
C\rist  and  his   Spiiit,   which  have  been  hitherto  (and  I 
hcoe,  will  yet  still  be)  very  manifest  in  you,  who  have  the 
chtf  conduct.     And  upon  such  a  gathering  togedier  of 
Gul's  people  and  saints,  (let  the  world,  if  it  please,  still 
laigh  at  that  word)  who  can  but  think,  he  hath  some 
chcice  and  singular  work  in  hand  for  his  own  glory  ?  The 
Loixl  God  Almighty  hath  already  done  great  and  wonder- 
ful \|orks  by  you,  and  is  yet  doing  greater,   if  you   will 
contJiue  to  believe  and  obey  ;  and  all  in  these  things  he 
only  ij  to  be  exalted,  and  not  you.     For  hath  not  that  day 
of  the  Lord  of  hosts  dawned  ?   }^ea,  the  morning  of  it  is  a/- 
ready  ^ne fort h^  which  is  upon  every  one  that  is  proud  and 
lofty^  ai^  upon  every  one  thatisliftedup^andheis  tobebrought 
/oxu,  an^i  the  Lord  alone  is  and  must  be  exalted  in  this  day. 

Now  tie  Lord  cause  you  to  dwell  and  continue  in  that 
church,  yhich  is  the  body  of  Christ,  and  habitation  of 
God,  andgive  you  peace  with  those  that  are  reconciled  to 
God  by  Cijirist,  and  to  one  another  in  Christ,  by  the  Spirit; 
in  which  uiiion  and  communion,  I  remain, 

}  bz/r  assured  servant, 
\  WILLIAM  DELL. 


TO  THE  READER. 

SUCH  are  the  noises  of  waters,  and  thuiiderings,  ancl 
earthquakes  among  us ;  and  so  great  and  continued 
are  our  shakings  and  confusions,  through  hatred  and 
love,  hopes  and  fears,  joys  and  sorrows,  triumpJis  and  in- 
dignations, that  there  is  no  silence  in  heaven,  for  so  much 
as  half  an  hour.  Wherefore,  though  I  discourse  here, 
touching  so  sweet  and  gloiious  a  thing  as  peace,  and  do 
declare  from  the  very  word  for  else  I  had  said  nothing) 
wherein  the  true  peace  of  the  true  church  consists;  and  also, 
how  the  faithful,  and  churches,  may  preserve  that  peace 
in  their  communion  with  one  another,  which  they  have  in 
the  Son,  and  in  the  Father  :  yet  men's  heads  and  hearts 
are  now  so  full,  that  it  is  to  be  doubted  but  few  will  re- 
gard it.  Notwithstanding,  considering  that  there  is  among 
us,  who  both  know,  and  will  hear  his  voice  at  any  time ; 
I  thought  good  to  speak  this  in  their  behalf.  And  though 
I  am  very  conscious  of  my  rudeness  of  speech  in  this  dis- 
course, as  also  of  my  weakness  and  infirmity  in  many- 
things,  having  not  yet  attamed  to  a  perfect  man^  and  to  the 
measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christy  2  Cor.  xi.  6. 
and  so  dare  not  say,  that  every  jot  and  tittle  here,  is  of  the 
pure  river  of  the  water  of  life,  without  any  human  mixture; 
yet  they  that  are  spiritual,  and  able  to  judge,  will  own  all 
in  it  that  is  of  the  word  and  spirit  of  truth,  and  will 
not  reject  silver  tried  four  or  five  times,  because  it  is  not 
tried  seven  times.  And  what  is  weak  and  imperfect  in  it, 
the  true  church  of  Christ,  (for  whose  dear  sake  and  love  I 
have  spoken  all  this)  seeing  it  is,  as  Luther  speaks,  "  The 
queen  of  mercy,  whose  very  bowels,  are  mere  compassions 
and  forgivenesses  of  sins,"  will  easily  pass  it  bv,  and  forgive 
it.  And  as  for  men,  haughty  and  high  in  their  own  spirit, 
contemning  and  disdaining  any  thing  that  agrees  not  to 


160  '1'^  'iiiE  READER. 

their  palate  ;  I  do  as  easily  despise  their  censure,  as  they 
lightly  pass  it.  It  is  enough  that  I  seek  the  glory  of 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  and  the  welfare 
of  that  church,  that  is  his  body ;  and  for  the  rest,  let  me 
become  as  vile  as  the  apostles  were  made  to  the  world, 
who  were  counted  the  filth  and  offscouring  of  all  things ; 
well  knowing,  that  the  more  any  thing  is  of  Christ,  the 
more  enmity  and  opposition  it  will  meet  with  from  the 
world,  and  from  the  worldly  church  ;  1  commit  Christ's 
own  word  and  cause  to  his  own  care  and  protection,  who 
lives  and  reit^ns  for  this  very  purpose,  to  uphold  his  own 
despised  truth,  against  the  glorious,  but  deceitful  doc- 
trines of  men  ;  and  to  make  all  his  enemies  his  foot- stool. 
And  so,  waiting  in  this  assured  hope,  if  thou  love  Christ, 
I  remain 

Thine  in  him^ 

WILLIAM  DELL. 


THE 
WAY  OF  TRUE  PEACE  AND  UNITY 

IN   THE  TRUE 

CHURCH  OF  CHRIST. 

HAVING  now  for  a  long  time  together,  observed 
with  a  sad  heart,  and  troubled  spirit,  the  grievous  dif- 
ferences and  dissensions  among  the  faithful,  and  churches 
of  Christ  :  and  perceiving  also,  that  there  is  yet  no 
healing  of  this  error,  many  or  most  of  them  not  clearly 
understanding  wherein  their  true  peace  anij  unity  'jught 
to  consist ;  and  so,  are  still  prosecuting  former  with  lat- 
ter mistakes^  «till  their  wound  is  become  almost  incura- 
ble ;  I  found  my  heart  inclined  and  engaged  by  God,  to 
propound  to  others  that  way  of  peace,  which  myself  have 
learned  from  the  word.  And  this  I  desire  to  do,  not  that 
I  might  seem  to  be  something,  or  be  accounted  of,  any 
more  than  the  meanest  of  all  God's  people,  being  indeed 
unworthy  to  minister  so  much  as  a  cup  of  cold  water  to 
the  church,  the  spouse  of  Christ,  much  less  so  incompara- 
ble a  treasure  as  the  word  of  God  is,  in  comparison  of 
which,  all  the  world  is  not  to  be  mentioned ;  but  merely 
out  of  love  and  compassion  to  the  infirmities  of  my  bre- 
thren, whom  I  see  walking  in  the  light  of  their  own  fire, 
and  in  the  sparks  which  they  themselves  do  kindle,  where. 
by  they  are  in  great  danger  to  lie  down  in  sorrow  ;  whilst  in 
the  mean  time  they  neglect  the  true  light,  which  alone  is 
to  shine  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  till  all  ignorance  and 
darkness  be  done  away.     And  as  my  end  and  design  is  to 

bring  all  men  from  all  human  doctrines  and  conceptions 

X 


162  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

of  carnal  wisdom  and  prudence,  to  the  word  of  Goc^  so  I 
desire  all  men  that  are  spiritual,  and  able  to  judge,  to  al- 
low of  no  more  in  this  discourse,  than  they  shall  find  agree- 
able to  this  word  ;  and  whatever  the  word  of  God,  in  the 
true  sense  and  meaning  of  it,  shall  disapprove  or  condemn; 
so  far,  let  them  also  disapprove  and  condemn  with  it, 
as  I  myself  also  do :  knowing  well,  that  no  word  ought 
to  have  any  place  in  the  church  of  God,  but  the  word  of 
God,  which  alone  carries  light,  life,  righteousness,  wis- 
dom and  power,  sufficient,  and  enough  in  itself,  to  do  the 
whole  mind  and  work  of  God  in  his  church.  Wherefore, 
what  I  have  freely  learned,  I  shall  freely  communicate,  de- 
siring  every  one  to  regard  his  own  salvation  ;  seeing  now, 
after  so  clear  a  discovery  of  truth,  he  can  have  no  cloak, 
nor  the  least  excuse  for  his  sin. 

Nt  ►v,  that  he  that  reads  may  understand,  it  is  necessary 
for  me,  speaking  of  the  unity  and  peace  of  the  church,  to 
tell  you  at  first,  that  I  intend  not  to  propoilftd  any  way  of 
peace,  either  between  the  church  and  the  world,  or  else  be- 
tween the  carnal  and  spiritual  children  of  the  church,  as 
having  learned  no  such  thing  out  of  the  word  of  God. 

First :  Not  between  the  church  and  the  world  :  for  the 
Lord  never  intended  any  reconciliation  and  agreement 
between  these,  in  the  spiritual  and  eternal  things  of  the 
kingdom  of  God ;  for  these  are  two  distinct  seeds,  and 
sorts  of  people  ;  the  one  from  beneath,  the  other  from 
above  ;  the  one  the  seed  of  the  woman ;  the  other  the 
seed  of  the  serpent ;  and  between  these  two,  God  hath  put 
such  an  enmity,  that  no  man  can  take  away.  Wherefore, 
they  who  never  minded  these  two  different  seeds,  between 
whom  God  hath  put  such  irreconcileable  enmity,  would 
make  all  the  people  of  one  or  more  whole  kingdoms  a 
church  at  once,  and  would  reconcile  all  of  them  together, 
in  the  things  of  God,  and  in  the  ways  of  his  worship,  ac- 
cording to  devices  and  methods  of  their  own  ;    tltese  men 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  153 

know  not  what  they  do  ;  for  they  walk  in  the  darkness  of 
their  own  hearts,  and  not  in  the  Hght  of  the  word  ;  which 
shews  us  clearly,  that  it  is  as  possible  to  reconcile  Michael 
and  the  Devil^  as  the  angels  of  both. 

2.  Neither,  secondly,  do  I  lind  any  way  in  the  word  to 
reconcile  all  those  together,  who  are  commonly  called 
tlie  visible  cljurch :  seeing,  even  among  these,  there  are 
two  distinct  sorts  of  children,  as  Paul  teacheth  us  ;  one 
sort  are  those  who  are  born  after  the  flesh,  as  Ishmael  and 
Esau  ;  and  another  are  those  who  are  horn  after  the  Spirit, 
as  Isaac  and  Jacob  :  and  there  is  as  great  enmity  between 
these  in  the  church,  jft  between  the  former  in  the  world; 
for  they  that  are  horn  after  thefesh^  are  always  persecuting 
them  that  are  horn  after  the  Spirit ;  but  never  agreeing 
with  them. 

Now  of  these  two  sorts  of  Christians,  one  makes  up  the 
body  of  Christ ;  the  other,  the  bod}'  of  antichrist.  The 
spiritual  children  make  up  Christ's  true  body,  as  it  is 
written.  He  gave  him  to  he  the  head  over  ail  things  to  the 
church,  xuhich  is  his  hodij  ;  for  these,  being  born  of  the  Spi- 
rit, do  also  partake  of  the  Spirit,  and  so  are  the  true  flesh  of 
Christ,  as  all  that  flesh  is,  in  which  the  Spirit  dwells  :  and 
these  all  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  and  have  jio  confidence 
in  the  flesh,  that  is,  in  no  fleshly  forms,  ceremonies,  or  wor- 
ship. 

The  carnal  children  of  the  church,  make  up  antichrist's 
true  body  :  For  as  Christ's  body  consists  of  spiritual  Chris- 
tians, so  antichrist's  of  carnal ;  for  antichrist  sets  up  in  the 
temple  of  God,  as  well  as  Christ :  and  as  Christ  gets  his 
body  together  of  spiritual  Christians,  so  antichrist  gets  his 
body  together  of  carnal  Christians  :  and  these  have  a  form 
of  religion,  or  godliness,  but  they  have  no  spirit  or  power 
in  that  form  :  yea,  under  the  form  of  godliness,  they  ex- 
ercise the  greater  power  of  ungodliness  :  And  Christ  and 
his  Spirit,  and  all  their  things,  are  no  where  more  op- 


164  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

posed,  than  by  those  in  the  church,  who  have  the  letter 
of  the  word,  but  want  the  spirit  of  it,  being  taught  of 
men  only,  and  not  of  God.  So  that,  all  that  part  of  Chris- 
tianity, that  is  destitute  of  the  Spirit,  and  hath  the  name 
onl}^  and  not  the  anointing  of  Christians,  makes  up 
the  body  of  antichrist.  And  now  there  can  be  no  more 
agreement  between  these  two  bodies,  of  Christ  and  of 
antichrist,  that  is,  between  spiritual  and  carnal  Christians, 
than  between  Christ  and  antichrist  themselves,  the  heads 
of  these  bodies.  And  as  I  find  nothing  in  tlie  word,  so 
neither  do  I  propound  any  thing  for  an  agreement  here  : 
For  to  go  about  to  reconcile  theref  where  the  Father  ne- 
ver  intended,  nor  the  Son  never  undertook  any  reconci-* 
liation,  would  not  be  a  work  of  wisdom,  but  of  weak- 
ness. 

So  then,  the  way  of  peace  I  shall  speak  of,  is  between 
the  children  of  peace,  touching  whom  God  hath  promised, 
that  He  will  give  them  one  heart,  and  one  way;  and  for  whom 
Christ  hath  prayed.  That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou,  Fa- 
ther, art  in  vie,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in 
us :  And  these  are  the  elect,  made  faithful,  called  to  be 
saints,  and  sanctified  through  their  calling  ;  and  these  are 
the  true  church  of  God. 

The  peace  then  I  seek  by  this  discourse,  is  the  peace  of 
the  true  church  :  Wherefore,  I  shall  first  declare  the  churcli 
itself,  whose  peace  I  seek  ;  and  then  declare  wherein  this 
church's  true  peace  and  unity  lies ;  and  also  how  it  may 
be  preserved  among  themselves,  it  being  first  wrought  by 
Jesus  Christ. 

For  the  church  itself ;  what  I  have  learned  touching  it, 
I  shall  speak  plainly,  and  something  largely,  because  the 
right  understanding  hereof  is  so  absolutely  necessary  to  our 
present  business  :  and  yet  there  are  very  many,  and  very 
great  mistakes  and  misapprehensions,  touching  it,  even 
among  the  faithful. 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  l65 

The  right  church  then,  is  not  the  whole  multitude  of 
the  people,  whether  good  or  bad,  that  join  together  in  an 
outward  form,  or  way  of  worship  ;  for  in  this  church,  there 
are  whoremongers,  idolaters,  thieves,  murderers,  and  all. 
sorts  of  wicked  and  unbelieving  persons  ;  which  are  so  far 
from  being  the  church  of  Christ,  that  they  are  the  very 
synagogue  of  Satan,  and  children  of  the  devil ;  and  there- 
fore I  shall  not  speak  of  this  church.  But  the  church  I 
shall  speak  of,  is  the  true  church  of  the  New  Testament, 
which,  I  say,  is  not  any  outward  or  visible  society,  gather- 
ed together  into  the  consent  or  use  of  outward  things, 
forms,  ceremonies,  worship,  as  the  churches  of  men  are ; 
neither  is  it  known  by  seeing  or  feeling,  or  the  help  of  any 
outward  sense,  as  the  society  of  mercers,  or  drapers,  or  the 
like  ;  but  it  is  a  spiritual  and  invisible  fellowship,  gathered 
together  in  the  unity  of  faith,  hope,  and  love,  and  so  into 
the  unity  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Father  by  the  Spirit ; 
wherefore  it  is  wholly  hid  from  carnal  eyes,  neither  hath  the 
world  any  knowledge  or  judgment  of  it. 

This  true  church  is  the  communion  of  saints,  which  is 
the  communion  believers  have  with  one  another :  not  in 
the  things  of  the  world,  or  in  the  things  of  men,  but  in 
the  things  of  God ;  for  as  believers  have  their  union  in 
the  Son,  and  in  the  Father,  so  in  them  also  they  have  their 
communion  ;  and  the  communion  they  have  with  one  ano- 
ther in  God,  cannot  be  in  their  own  things,  but  in  God*s 
things,  even  in  his  light,  life,  rigliteousness,  wisdom,  truth, 
love,  power,  peace,  joy,  &c.  This  is  the  true  communion 
of  saints,  and  this  communion  of  saints  is  the  true  church 
of  God. 

Now  this  true  church  of  God,  differs  from  the  churches 
of  men  in  very  many  particulars,  as  follow. 

1.  Members  come  unto  the  churches  of  men,  either  of 
their  own  minds,  or  else  by  the  persuasion,  or  by  the 


166  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &t. 

forcing  of  others ;  and  so  only  after  the  will  of  man  ;  but 
none  come  to  this  true  church,  but  from  the  drawing  of 
God  the  Father,  and  his  own  calling,  according  to  his  own 
purpose, 

2.  In  the  churches  of  men,  members  are  admitted 
through  an  outward  confession  of  doctrine ;  but  none  are 
admitted  into  this  true  church,  but  through  a  new  birth, 
from  God  and  his  Spirit :  John  iii.  3.  Except  a  man  be  born 
again,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  /ci?tgdom  of  God,  (which  is  the 
right  church  of  tiie  New  Testament)  for  that  which  is  bom 
ofthejlesh,  is  fesh,mid  so  remains  without  in  the  world  ; 
but  that  7vhich  is  born  of  the  spirit,  is  spirit,  and  so  hath 
entrance  into  the  true  church. 

3.  In  the  churches  of  men,  there  are  more  wicked  than 
righteous  ;  but  in  this  true  church  of  Christ,  the  people  are 
all  righteous,  not  one  excepted  ;  as  it  is  written,  Thy  peo- 
ple shall  he  all  righteous.  Isaiah  Ix.  For  they  all  have  their 
iniquities  forgiven  them,  and  they  are  all  redeemed  and 
washed  with  the  blood  of  the  hamh-, 

4.  In  the  churches  of  men,  the  people,  for  the  most 
part,  arc  only  taught  of  men,  who  are  their  heads,  and 
leaders,  and  w'hose  judgments  they  depend  on,  and  follow 
in  all  things ;  iDut  in  the  right  church,  the  people  are  all 
taught  of  God,  as  Isaiah  saith.  Thy  children  shall  be  all 
taught  of  the  Lord:  and  Christ  saith.  They  shall  hear  and 
learn  from  the  Father  :  and  Johns^aih,  The  anointing  they 
have  received,  teacheth  them  all  things. 

5.  In  the  churches  of  men,  the  greatest  part  are  hated  and 
rejected  of  God,  as  being  strangers  and  enemies  to  Christ ; 
but  in  the  true  church,  all  the  members  are  dear  to  God, 
as  Christ  is  dear  ;  and  loved  of  God,  as  Christ  is  loved,  as 
being  one  flcsli  and  spirit  with  him. 

6.  The  churches  of  men  are  of  men's  building,  con- 
triving, fraVning,  fashioning,  beautifying  :  but  the  true 
church  is  built  only  by  Christ ;  as  it  is  written,  The  man 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  167 

whose  name  is  the  Br  anch,  /2^  sliall  build  the  temple  of  the 
Lord^  even  he  shall  build  it.  Zach.  vi.  12.  And  again, 
Upon  this  rock  I xvill  build  my  church.  Matt.  xvi.  18.  The 
true  Church  is  such  a  buildini^,  which  neither  men  nor 
angels  can  frame,  but  Christ  alone. 

7.  The  churches  of  men  are,  all  of  them,  more  or  less, 
the  habitation  of  antichrist;  who,  as  P<:/«/saith,2  Thess.  ii  4. 
as  God,  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  that  is,  not  in  the  true 
temple  of  God,  but  in  the  churches  of  men,  which  ar- 
rogate to  themselves  that  name  and  title  ;  shewing  himself 
that  he  is  God :  For  antichrist  always  dwells  there,  where 
men  have  a  form  of  godliness,  denying  the  power  :  but 
the  true  church  is  built  together,  to  be  the  habitation  of 
God  in  the  Spirit,  Ephes.  ii.  22.  And  again.  Ye  are  the 
temples  of  the  living  God;  as  God  hath  said,  I  will  dwell  iji 
them,  and  walk  in  them, 

8.  The  churches  of  men  are  as  large  as  men  will  make 
them ;  for  they  that  have  chief  power  in  these  churches, 
interesting  themselves  in  wordly  magistrates,  through 
their  favour  and  help,  make  their  churches  as  large  as  the 
magistrate's  dominions:  thus  the  church  oi  Borne,  was  made 
of  as  large  extent  as  the  dominions  of  the  emperor,  and  of 
other  princes,  in  whom  the  Pope  had  interest.  And  so 
likewise,  the  church  in  other  kingdoms,  was  made  as  large 
as  the  dominions  of  the  temporal  magistrate ;  and  all 
under  their  power  must  be  forced  to  be  of  their  church. 
But  the  true  church,  w  hich  is  the  kingdom  of  the  Son,  is 
only  the  preparation  of  the  Father's  kingdom,  and  so  will 
admit  no  more  into  it,  than  the  Father's  kingdom  will  ad- 
mit into  it ;  the  Son's  kingdom,  and  the  Father's,  being 
of  a  like  latitude  and  extent ;  and  so  the  Son's  kingdom 
is  no  larger  than  the  Father's,  nor  the  Father's  than  the 
Son's  :  The  Father's  kingdom  will  not  receive  any  into  it, 
that  have  not  first  been  of  the  Son's  kingdom ;  and  the 
Son's  kingdom  will  not  admit  into  it,  which  the  Father's 


16S  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

kingdom  will  not  afterwards  receive  ;  but  the  Son  delivers 
up  his  whole  kingdom  to  the  Father,  and  the  Father  re- 
ceives it  all,  without  any  exception. 

Now  from  hence  these  three  things  are  evident. 
1.  That  the  kingdoms  of  Englcwd^  Scotland,  bV.  are  not 
the  church,  but  the  world,  as  well  as  the  kingdoms  of 
France,  Spain,  Hungary,  £ffc.  but  in  all  these,  and  all 
other  kingdoms,  the  faithful,  who  are  taken  into  union 
and  communion  with  Christ,   and  ^vith  one  another 
in  him,  they  are  the  church,  and  not  the  kingdoms 
themselves. 
^  2.  In  particular  assemblies,  whether  parochial  or  con- 
gregational,   all   the    company    that    meet    together 
bodily,  and  have  outward  communion  in    outward 
ordinances,  are  not  the  church  ;  but  those  among  all 
these,  that  meet  together  in  one  faith  and  spirit,  in 
one  Christ  and  God ;  for  herein  only  stands  the  true 
communion  of  saints,  and  the  true  church  of  the  New 
Testament  is  to  be  judged  liereby,  and  by  no  outward 
things  whatsoever. 
3.  That  it  belongs  not  to  magistrates  and  worldly  pow- 
ers, to  say  which  is  the  church,  and  which  is  not  the 
church ;  who  do  belong  to  it,  and  who  do  not ;   but 
it  belongs  to  Christ  only  to  point  out  his  own  church, 
seeing  he  only  knows  it,  and  it  only  stands  by  his 
election  and  collection,  and  not  by  man's. 
9.  The  churches  of  men  knit  themselves  together  into 
such  societies,  by  some  outward  covenant  or  agreement 
amona:  themselves  :  But  the  true  church  is  knit  into  their 
society  among  themselves,  by  being  first  knit  unto  Christ, 
their  head  ;  and  as  soon  as  ever  they  are  one  with  him, 
they  are  also  one  with  one  another  in  him ;  and  are  not 
first  one  among  themselves,  and  then  one  with  Christ : 
So  that  the  true  church  is  a  spiritual  society,  knit  unto 
Christ  by  faith,  and  knit  to  one  another  in  Christ,  by  the 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  169 

Spirit,  and  love  ;  and  this  makes  them  infinitely  more  one, 
than  any  outward  covenant  they  can  engage  themselves  in  : 
the  union  wherein  God  makes  us  one,  passing  all  the 
unions  wherein  we  can  make  ourselves  one.  And  so,  when 
some  believers  perceive  the  grace  that  is  given  to  others, 
they  presently  fall  into  one  communion,  without  any 
more  ado.  Wherefore,  th;^y  that  are  of  the  church,  the 
body,  cannot  deny  communion  to  them  that  are  in  true 
union  with  Christ,  the  head,  when  they  do  perceive  this 
grace.  For  this  is  considerable  in  this  matter,  that  we 
are  not  first  one  with  the  church,  and  then  one  with 
Christ :  but  we  are  first  one  with  Christ,  and  then  one  with 
the  church  ;  and  our  union  with  the  church  flows  from  our 
union  witR  Christ ;  and  not  our  union  with  Christ  from 
our  union  with  the  church  :  Christ  prays,  John^  xvi.  That 
they  all,  that  is,  believers,  may  be  one  in  us  .••So  that  our 
union  is  not  first  among  ourselves,  and  then  with  the  Son, 
and  with  the  Father ;  but  it  is  first  with  the  Son,  and  with 
the  Father,  and  then  with  one  another  in  them  :  And 
Christ  is  the  door,  through  which  we  enter  into  the  church, 
and  not  the  church  the  door  through  which  we  enter  into 
Christ ;  For  men  may  join  themselves  to  l;)elievers,  in  the 
use  of  all  outward  ordinances,  and  yet  never  be  joined  to 
Christ,  nor  to  th.it  communion  which  believers  have  in 
Christ :  but  a  man  cannot  be  joined  to  Christ,  but  he  is 
joined  to  all  believers  in  the  world,  in  the  communion 
they  have  with  Christ,  and  with  one  another  in  him  ;  which, 
upon  all  occasions,  he  enjoys  with  them,  wherever  he 
meets  with  them.  So  that  the  true  church  is  knit  up  to- 
gether into  one  body  and  society,  by  one  faith  and  spirit ; 
the  churches  of  men  by  an  outward  covenant  or  agree- 
ment only. 

10.  The  churches  of  men  have  human  officers,  who  act 
in  the  strength  of  natural  or  acquired  parts,  who  do  all  by 
the  help  of  study,  learning,  and  the  like  :  But  in  the  true 


170  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

church,  Christ  and  the  Spirit  are  the  only  officers,  and 
men  only  so  far  as  Christ  and  the  Spirit  dwell  and  mani- 
fest themselves  in  them  :  and  so,  when  they  do  any  thing 
in  the  church,  it  is  not  they  that  do  it,  but  Christ  and  his 
Spirit  in  them,  and  by  them  :  And  therefore  saith  Paul, 
Seek  yea  proof  of  Christ  speakingin  me?  which  to  you-xvards 
is  not  weak,  but  mighty  :  whoever  is  the  instrument,  Christ 
is  the  only  preacher  of  the  New  Testament ;  and  that  which 
is  the  true  gospel,  is  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit ;  ioxholy 
men  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit;  and 
were  first  anointed  with  the  Spirit,  before  they  preached. 

11.  The  churches  of  men  have  the  government  of  them 
laid  on  men's  shoulders,  whether  single  persons,  as  pope 
or  archbishop ;  or  combined,  as  the  general  council,  or 
a  national  assembly  ;  but  the  true  church  hath  its  govern- 
ment laid  dhly  on  Christ's  shoulders,  as  the  prophet  fore- 
told, Isai.  ix.  Urito  us  a  child  is  bom,  a  Son  is  given,  and 
the  government  shall  lie  on  his  shoulders  :  and  Zach.  vi.  12. 
He  shall  build  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  ^c.  and  he  shall  sit  and 
rule  upon  his  throne :  For  none  can  rule  the  true  church,  but 
he  that  built  it.  For  if  the  church  be  gathered  together  in 
Christ,  as  the  true  church  is,  Christ  is  always  in  the  midst 
of  them;  and  if  Christ  is  ever  present  with  them  his  own 
self,  how  Cometh  it  to  pass  that  Christ  may  not  reign  im- 
mediately over  them  ?  Wherefore  the  true  church  reckons 
it  sufficient  authority,  that  they  have  Christ  and  his  word 
for  the  ground  of  their  practice  ;  and  whatever  they  find  in 
the  word,  they  presently  set  upon  the  practice  of  it,  and 
never  ask  leave,  either  of  civil  or  ecclesiastical  powers;  but 
the  churches  of  men  do  will  nothing  without  the  authority 
of  the  magistrate  or  assembly,  though  it  be  never  so  clear 
i'n  the  word  of  God :  For  in  their  religion,  they  regard  the 
authority  of  men,  more  than  the  authority  of  God. 

12.  The  churches  of  men  are  still  setting  themselves 
one  above  another  ;  but  the  assemblies  of  the  true  church 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  171 

are  all  equal,  having  Christ  and  the  Spirit,  equally  pre- 
sent with  them,  and  in  them  ;  and  therefore,  the  believers  of 
one  congregation  cannot  say,  they  have  power  over  the  be- 
lievers of  another  congregation  ;  seeing  all  congrega- 
tions have  Christ  and  his  Spirit  alike  among  them,  and 
Christ  hath  not  any  where  promised,  that  he  will  be  more 
with  one  than  with  another.  And  so  Christ  and  the  Spirit 
in  one  congregation,  are  not  subjected,  neither  are  subject 
to  Christ  and  the  Spirit  in  another  congregation  :  as  if 
Christ  and  the  Spirit  in  several  places,  should  be  above 
and  under  themselves.  But  Christ,  in  each  assembly  of  the 
faithful,  is  their  head  ;  and  this  head  they  dare  not  leave, 
and  set  up  a  fleshly  head  to  themselves,  whether  it  consist 
of  one,  or  many  men  :  seeing  antichrist  doth  as  strongly 
invade  Christ's  headship  in  many,  as  in  one  man  ;  in  a 
council,  as  in  a  pope. 

Lastly :  Againsst  the  churches  of  men,  the  gates  of  hell 
(which  are  sin  and  death)  shall  certainly  prevail :  but  the 
true  church  of  Christ,  though  the  gates  of  hell  do  always 
fight  against  it,  yet  they  shall  never  prevail  against  it ;  as 
Christ  hath  promised.  Upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church, 
and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  ?V,Matt.  xvi.  18. 

In  these  things,  among  others,  the  true  church  of  Christ 
differs  from  the  churches  of  men  :  by  which  we  may 
clearly  see,  that  the  true  church  is  not  an  outward  and 
visible  society,  or  corporation,  neither  can  it  be  pointed  out 
by  the  finger,  lo  here,  or  lo  there  ;  seeing  it  is  not  con- 
fined to  any  certain  place,  time,  or  person,  but  is  wholly  a 
spiritual  and  invisible  society,  (as  I  have  said)  that  is  as- 
sembled in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father,  who  are  the  true 
pale  and  circumference  of  this  church  ;  and  out  of  whom, 
no  part  of  it  is  to  be  found. 

Now  hereupon  it  will  presently  be  said,  if  the  true 
church  be  invisible,  as  you  have  affirmed,  then, 


172  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

1.  How  shall  we  know  it  ? 

2.  How  can  we  join  ourselves  to  it? 

To  both  which,  I  hope,  I  shall  return  a  clear  answer : 
and  first  to  this  question, 

How  shall  we  know  the  true  church,  seeing  it  is  invi- 
sible ? 

I  answer ;  just  so  as  Christ  the  head  is  known,  is  the 
church  his  body  known,  and  no  other  way ;  now  Christ 
is  known, 

1.  By  the  revelation  of  the  Father;  when  Peter  con- 
fessed Clirist  to  be  the  Soji  of  the  living  God,  Christ  told 
him,  that  Jiesh  and  blood  had  not  revealed  it  to  him,  but  his 
Father  :  now  the  members  of  Christ  can  no  more  be 
known,  without  this  revelation  of  the  Father,  th^n  Christ 
the  head  of  these  members ;  seeing  the  apostle  hath  said, 
that  as  he  is,  so  are  we  in  this  world;  so  that  he  hath  need  of 
other  eyes  than  the  world  sees  withal,  Uiat  would  discern 
tlie  true  church,-  and  of  another  revelation  than  any  that 
flesh  and  blood  can  make 

2.  Christ  was  known  by  the  Spirit's  resting  on  him: 
John  i.  33.  ^nd  I  knew  him  not,  CsaidJohn  Baptist)  but  he 
that  sent  me  to  baptize  with  water,  the  same  said  unto  me^ 
Upon  ivhom  thou  shalt  s^^e  the  Spirit  descending,  and  remain- 
ing on  him,  the  same  is  he  which  baptizeth  with  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  and  I  saw,  and  bare  record,  that  this  is  the  Son  of 
God.  After  the  s:'ime  manner  the  church  of  Christ  is  known, 
to  wit,  by  the  Spirit's  coming  and  remaining  on  it :  So 
that  whatever  people  have  received  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  of 
what  sort  or  condition  soever  they  be,  they  are  the  church 
of  Christ ;  and  they  that  are  destitute  of  this  Spirit,  are  not 
of  the  church. 

3.  Christ  was  known  by  the  works  he  did  :  If  I  do  ?iot 
the  works  of  my  Father,  believe  me  not ;  but  if  I  do,  though 
you  believe  ?iot  me,  believe  theworks;  that  you  may  know  that 
the  Father  is  in  me,  and  I  in  him:  John  x.  17.  And  thus  also 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST. 


iii 


is  the  true  church  known,  by  doing  the  works  of  Christ ; 
seeing  Clirist  hath  said,  He  that  believes  in  me^  the  xvorks 
that  I  do  shall  he  do^  ^c.  And  thus  the  body  of  Christ  is 
known  by  its  Hving  the  life  of  the  head,  which  is  the  life  of 
faith  and  love  ;  and  the  members  of  Christ  are  known  by 
their  doing  the  works  of  the  head. 

Thus  then  you  see,  that  though  the  true  cliurch  be  spi- 
ritual, and  cannot  be  known  by  our  outward  senses,  yet 
we  have  certain  tokens  of  her  spiritual  presence  ;  whereby 
we  may  reckon,  that  in  this  or  that  place,  there  be  cer- 
tain of  her  members.  As  by  a  natural  example  ;  though 
the  soul  of  man,  in  itself,  be  spiritual  and  invisible,  and 
cannot  be  discerned  by  any  of  our  outward  senses,  yet  may 
we  have  sure  tokens  of  its  presence,  by  the  effects  and 
oper.'.tions  of  the  soul,  in  that  body  wherein  it  dwells  ;  as 
the  exercise  of  reason,  understanding,  discourse,  &c.  so 
likewise  the  true  church,  which  is  invisible  in  itself,  may 
yet  be  known  by  some  ^rtain  signs,  as  by  the  word  of 
faith,  which  sounds  no  where  but  in  the  church,  through 
the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  as  also  by  the  life  of 
Christ,  and  the  presence  and  operations  of  his  Sph'it,  etc. 
And  thus  you  see  how  the  church,  though  it  be  spiritual, 
may  be  known. 

Well,  how  can  we  be  joined  to  such  a  spiritual  and  in- 
visible church  ? 

I  answer ;  Is  not  Christ  a  spiritual  and  invisible  head  ? 
And  how  canst  thou  be  joined  to  such  a  head  ?  Surely  our 
joining  to  Christ,  the  head,  and  to  the  church,  his  body, 
is  of  one  nature ;  and  that  which  joins  us  to  Christ,  the 
head,  will  assuredly  join  us  to  the  church,  his  body.  Now, 
through  faith  and  the  Spirit  only,  are  we  joined  to  this 
head  ;  and  through  faith  and  the  Spirit  only,  are  we  join- 
ed to  this  body  :  and  we  cannot  be  of  this  spiritual  body 
and  society,  but  by  being  taken  up  into  one  faith  and 
spirit  with  them  :  And  so  it  is  no  more  a  difficult  thing  to 


174  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

be  joined  to  the  true  church,  because  it  is  spiritual  and  in- 
visible,  than  to  be  joined  to  Christ  himself  upon  the  same 
account ;  that  is,  it  is  no  more  difficult  to  be  joined  to  a 
spiritual  and  invisible  body,  than  to  a  spiritual  and  invisible 
head  ;  and  all  acknowledge  Christ  to  be  such  a  head,  and 
all  must  acknowledge  the  church  to  be  such  a  body. 

If  any  shall  say  that  they  cannot  presently  agree  to  these 
things,  because  they  have  had  far  different  apprehensions 
of  the  church  heretofore  :  I  desire  all  such  to  consider,  that 
if  the  true  church  \vere  only  an  outward  and  visible  society 
and  corporation  of  men,  that  were  to  be  governed  by  out- 
ward and  visible  officers,  according  to  outward  and  visible 
forms  and  orders,  there  would  then  be  no  great  mystery  in 
the  church ;  for  these  things  lie  within  the  easy  reach  of 
every  man's  reason  :  But  now,  whole  Christ  is  a  great  mys- 
tery, hid  from  ages  and  generations ;    that  is,  not  only- 
Christ,  the  head  of  the  church,  but  also  the  church,  the 
body  of  Christ :  Ephes.  v.  32.  Thjtg.is  a  great  mystery^  but  I 
speak  concerning  Christ  and  the  church:  And  this  latter  mys- 
tery (though  both  indeed  make  up  one  and  the  same  mys- 
tery) of  the  church,  or  Christ  the  body,  can  no  more  be 
known  by  human  sense  or  reason,  than  the  former  of  Christ 
the  head ;  the  revelation  of  the  Father,  and  the  anointing 
of  the  Spirit,  being  equally  necessary,  for  the  right  know- 
ledge of  both.     And,  as  antichrist  hath  had  his  mystery 
of  iniquity,  in  opposition  to  Christ  the  head,  in  setting  up 
a  visible  and  carnal  head,  instead  of  the  invisible  and  spi- 
ritual ;  so  also,  he  hath  had  his  mystery  of  iniquity  in 
opposition  to  the  church  the  body ;  in  erecting  a  visible 
and    carnal  body  or  church,   instead  of  an  invisible  and 
spiritual :  for  without  all  peradventure,  the  head  and  the 
body  must  be  suitable  each  to  other,  and  of  the  same  kind 
and  nature  :  And  so,  as  a  visible  and  carnal  head,  the  pope 
was  in  no  measure  suitable  to  an  invisible  and  spiritual 
body,  the  true  church ;  so  likewise,  a  visible  and  carnal 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  175 

body,  or  church,  made  and  constituted  by  a  mixture  of 
civil  and  ecclesiastical  laws  and  power,  is  in  no  measure 
suitable  to  a  spiritual  and  invisible  head  :  But  what  a  kind 
ot"  head  the  true  Christ  is,  such  a  kind  of  body  or  society 
the  true  church  is,  and  both  are  spiritual  and  invisible. 
And  as  the  Lord,  in  the  former  age,  hath  been  pleased  to 
reveal  to  the  church  the  mystery  of  the  Head,  after  a 
long  time  of  its  obscuring  and  darkening,  under  the  reign 
of  antichrist ;  so  now  we  wait  in  hope,  that  he  will,  in  this 
present  age,  reveal  the  mystery  of  the  body,  which  hath 
been  no  less  obscured  than  the  former ;  that  so  the  whole 
mystery  of  whole  Christ,  may  both  be  known  and  accom- 
plished among  us,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  by 
the  gospel.  Wherefore,  all  the  faithful  are  desired,  as  oc- 
casion serves,  to  make  known  what  God  hath  taught  them 
in  this  matter,  to  supply  what  is  here  spoken  \yeakly  and 
imperfectl3^ 

And  thus  having  declared  what  the  true  church  of 
Christ  is,  and  rectified  some  ancient  and  general  mistakes 
touching  it,  I  shall  now  proceed  to  make  known  from  the 
clear  and  evident  word,  the  true  and  only  bonds  of  the 
church's  union,  peace  and  agreement,  as  the  apostle  hath 
delivered  tKem  to  us  by  the  Spirit :  Ephes.  iv.  4,  5,  6. 

There  is  one  body^  and  one  spirit^  even  as  ye  are  called 
in  one  hope  of  your  calling  ;  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism  ;-  one  God  and  Father  of  all^  who  is  above  ally 
and  through  all^  and  in  you  all. 

Where  note  in  general,  that  among  all  these  bonds  of 
the  church's  unity,  the  apostle  makes  not  so  much  as  any 
mention  of  uniformity  ;  indeed  the  Rhemists  (being  blind- 
ed) from  this  very  place,  urge  and  press  uniformity, 
(which  is  the  very  word  they  use;  as  being  the  great  and 
mighty  engine,  first  ||>..advance  the  mystery  of  iniquity  to 
its  throne,  and  after  to  preserve  it  there.  But  it  will  ap- 
pear anon,  by  the  apostle's  doctrine,  that  no  conibrmity,  or 


17G  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

uniformity,  are  any  bonds  of  the  true  church's  peace  and 
union  ;  seeing  the  church  is  such  a  kingdom,  as  is  not  pre- 
served in  its  peace  by  any  outward  forms  and  orders,  as 
the  kingdoms  of  the  world  are,  but  by  inward  principles  : 
Wherefore  I  shall  proceed  to  speak  of  those  spiritual  bonds 
of  the  s})iritual  ciuirch's  unit_y,  which  the  apostle  names  ; 
and  they  are  in  number,  seven  ;  the  first  whereof  is, 
One  Body. 

There  is  one  body^  saith  Paul:  The  right  church  of 
Christ  is  but  one  body,  consisting  of  m.any  members  ;  and 
this  is  not  a  natural  or  political,  but  a  spiritual  body,  even 
the  body  of  Christ.  Paul,  in  several  of  his  epistles,  takes 
pleasure  to  set  forth  the  unity  of  the  church  by  this  simi- 
litude ;  as  in  Rom.  xii.  4,  5.  As  we  have  many  inembers  in 
one  body^  and  all  members  have  not  the  same  office  ;  so  we, 
being  many,  are  one  body  i?i  Christ,  and  every  one  members 
one  of  another.  And  again:  1  Cor.  xii.  12.  As  the  body 
is  one,  and  hath  many  members;  and  all  the  members  of  that 
one  body,  being  many,  are  but  one  body,  so  also  is  Christ : 
Where  he  calls  the  body  by  the  name  of  the  head,  both 
making  up  one  Christ. 

Now  this  unity  of  body  comprehends  believers  of  all 
ages,  and  of  all  sorts. 

1.  Of  all  ages;  for  all  believers  that  have  been  in  the 
world  heretofore,  or  now  are,  or  shall  be  hereafter,  do  all 
make  up  but  one  body  of  Christ,  though  born  and 
brought  forth  of  God  in  several  times  and  ages  of  the 
world  ;  as  in  a  natural  example,  a  child  is  not  born  all  in 
a  moment,  but  is  brought  forth  by  degrees ;  and  though 
one  part  be  born,  and  another  not  yet  born,  this  doth  not 
hinder  unity  of  body  in  the  child;  so  the  bringing  forth 
the  church  into  the  world  in  several  ages,  doth  in  no  wise 
hinder  this  unity  of  body. 

2.  As  this  unity  of  body  comprehends  believers  of  all 
ages,  so  also  of  all  sorts  and  conditions,  Jews  and  Gentiles, 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  177 

bond  and  free,  &c.  all  w  hich  are  made  one  body  in  Christ. 
Paul^  in  Ephes.  ii.  15.  speaking  o{Jewsi\nd  Gerifiles,  saiUi, 
That  Christ  of  these  twain  {who  differed  as  much  as  mankind 
could)  hath  made,  in  himself^  one  new  man:  For  Christ, 
melting  these  two,  by  his  Spirit,  which  is  as  fire,  causes 
each  to  depart  from  himself,  and  makes  both  together 
one  new  man,  or  body  of  Christ  in  himself;  ;!nd  thus 
makes  peace  :  For  as  long  as  men  remain  different  bodies, 
or  men,  there  is  no  peace  amongst  them  ;  but  when 
Christ  makes  them  one  body  in  himself,  he  makes  peace 
between  them  ;  unity  of  body  being  a  most  necessary  bond 
of  peace  in  the  church  ;  as  the  apostle  testifies  :  Col.  iii.  15. 
Let  the  peace  of  God  rule  in  your  heaj'ts,  to  the  which  ye 
are  called  in  one  body. 

Now,  from  this  unity  of  body  in  the  true  church,  we 
may  note  very  considerable  things,  ail  to  our  present  pur- 
pose. 

1.*  That  unity  of  body  in  the  church,  flows  from  unity 
of  head :  for  here  the  members  do  not  first  conspire  into 
unity  of  body  among  themselves,  and  after  choose  a  head 
to  their  body  ;  but  first,  these  members  are  united  to  the 
head,  and  then  to  one  another  in  and  with  the  head ;  and 
so,  because  there  is  but  one  true  head,  Christ,  there  is  but 
one  true  body,  the  church. 

2.  As  the  members  of  the  natural  body  are  born  such 
through  a  natural  birth,  before  they  do  or  can  exercise 
any  acts  or  offices  suitable  to  such  members,  and  do  not 
first  exercise  such  offices,  and  then  are  made  such  mem- 
bers ;  as  for  instance,  the  eye  doth  not  first  see,  and  then 
or  therefore  is  made  an  eye  in  the  body ;  or  the  ear 
first  hear,  and  then  or  therefore  is  made  an  ear  in  the  bo- 
dy :  but  the  eye  is  first  born  an  eye  in  the  body,  and  then 
sees  ;  and  the  ear  is  born  an  ear,  and  then  hears.  Sec.  So  in 
the  spiritual  body  of  Christ,  each  Christian  hath  his  mem- 
bership, merely  from  a  new  or  spiritual  birth,  and  hath 

Z 


178  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

his  office  from  his  membership ;  and  not  from  any  action, 
or  operation  of  his  own,  before  he  was  a  member.  In  this 
spiritual,  as  in  the  natural  body,  the  eye  is  born  an  eye, 
and  therefore  it  sees ;  and  the  foot  is  born  a  foot,  and 
tlierefore  it  walks ;  and  each  believer  is  only  that  which 
he  is  through  a  new  birth,  and  cannot  be  placed  in  such 
and  such  an  office  by  men ;  no  more  than  men  can  place 
a  seeing  eye,  or  walking  foot,  in  the  natural  body,  but  they 
must  be  born  there,  ere  they  can  be  there.  Each  mem- 
ber in  the  true  church,  is  born  in  his  place  and  office  by 
God,  and  is  not  placed  there  by  man  :  and  when  the  church 
perceives  this  grace  in  its  members,  it  suffers  them  to  ex- 
ercise those  places  and  offices  in  the  body,  in  which  God 
hath  produced  or  brought  them  forth,  by  his  Spirit. 

3.  This  unity  of  body  stands  well  with  a  difference  or 
distinction  of  members,  and  the  difference  of  members 
doth  not  hinder,  but  help  the  unity  of  body  :  for,  saith 
Paiily  The  body  is  not  one  member^  but  many;  andif they  were 
all  one  member ^  where  xvere  the  body  ?  And  therefore,  in  the 
body  there  are  diversity  of  members,  and  each  member  hath 
its  several  form  and  office;  If  the  whole  body  were  an  eye^ 
where  were  the  hearing  ?  and  if  the  whole  were  an  ear, 
where  were  seeing,  smelling,  walking?  ^c.  So  in  the  unity  of 
Christ's  body,  there  are  diversity  of  members,  with  diver- 
sity of  gifts  and  offices  ;  and  so,  one  hath  the  word  of  wis- 
dom, another  the  word  of  knowledge, another  theword  of  faith  ^ 
another  the  gift  of  healing,  &>V.  1  Cor.  xii.  8,  9.  Every  mem- 
ber in  this  body  being  in  office,  and  having  received  the  spi- 
rit to  profit  v\  ilhal.  And  so  again,  Rom.  xii.  6.  Having 
then  gifts  diffcr'ing,  according  to  the  grace  that  is  given  to 
us,  (he  speaks  of  all  the  members  of  the  body,  which  have 
some  or  other  gifts  given  to  them)  if  it  be  prophesy,  let 
us  prophesy  according  to  the  proportion  of  faith;  if  ministry^ 
let  us  wait  our  ministering;  or  he  that  teacheth,  on  teaching, 
or  he  that  exhorteth,  on  exhortation,  £5V.  So  that,  in  the  true 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  179 

church,  unity  stands  with  diversity,  but  in  the  false,  unity 
will  not  stand  without  uniformity. 

4.  In  this  true  church,  or  one  body  of  Christ,  notwith- 
standing diversity  of  members  and  offices,  there  is  still  an 
equality  among  them  all,  seeing  all  alike  make  up  one 
body  ;  in  which  respect,  one  member  is  as  necessary  to  the 
body  as  another,  and  no  member  can  say  to  another,  that 
I  contribute  more  to  the  making  up  of  the  body  than 
thou  ;  the  most  honourable  member  cannot  say  thus  to  the 
most  mean,  not  the  apostles  themselves  to  believers  among 
the  Gentiles  ;  for  we  are  the  body  of  Christ,  as  well  as  they, 
and  they  are  the  body  of  Christ  no  more  than  we  :  \\  here- 
fore  no  member,  for  diversity  of  office,  is  to  lift  up  him- 
self above  another  member,  who  is  as  necessary  as  itself 
to  the  making  up  the  body,  and  also  is  every  whit  as  use- 
ful in  its  place. 

5.  As  in  the  natural  body  each  member  is  contented 
with  its  own  place  and  office  in  the  body  :  so  is  every  mem- 
ber, through  the  grace  given  unto  it,  contented  with  its 
place  and  office  in  the  spiritual  body,  and  not  one  either 
envies  or  despises  another. 

6.  The  members  of  the  natural  body  do  not  each  live 
to  themselves,  but  all  of  them  serve  one  another,  and  each 
of  them  serves  all ;  as  the  eye  sees  for  the  foot,  and  the 
whole  body  and  the  hand  works  for  the  eye,  and  the 
whole  body,  &c.  So  among  believers,  none  lives  and  acts 
for  himself  only,  but  each  believer  serves  all,  and  all  serve 
each  one  in  love. 

7.  Members  that  are  united  into  one  body,  have  a  true 
sympathy  with  one  another,  both  in  good  and  evil  things  ; 
1  Cor.  xii.  26.  And  whether  one  member  suffer^  and  all  the 
members  suffer  xvith  it ;  or  one  member  be  honoured^  all  the 
members  rejoice  -with  it. 

8.  Among  the  members  of  the  body,  there  is  no  Jaw  of 
force,  but  only  a  law  of  love  ;  no  member  compelling  ano- 


180  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

ther,  but  each  member  serving  another  by  love  :  and  if  one 
member  be  infirm,  the  rest  help  it,  and  do  not  reject  it :  the 
more  they  care  for  it,  and  do  not  the  more  despise  it. 

And  this  now  is  the  first  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity. 
Unity  of  body. 

Now  they  break  this  firsi;  bond  of  unity,  that  either  live 
out  of  this  one  body  of  Christ,  or  else  live  in  it,  but  not 
as  members. 

1.  Thej^  that  do  content  themselves  in  joining  to  some 
outward  and  visible  society  and  corporation  of  men, 
though  called  a  church,  and  think,  that  by  being  knit  to 
them  in  ways  of  outward  worship  and  ordinances,  they 
live  in  the  unity  of  the  church,  when  as  yet,  all  this  while, 
they  live  out  of  that  one  body  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit, 
which  is  the  ojily  true  church,  and  body  of  Christ :  he  that 
lives  out  of  this  spiritual  body,  though  he  live  in  the  most 
excellent  society  in  the  world,  yet  he  breaks  the  unity  of 
the  church,  not  livhig  in  one  body  with  it.  And  thus  many 
break  the  church's  unity,  that  never  think  on  it. 

2,  Again,  they  break  this  bond  of  the  church's  unity, 
that  live  in  this  one  body,  but  not  as  -members ;  and  such 
are  they,  who,  having  got  the  advantage  of  the  magis- 
trate's power,  will  needs  lift  themsehes  up  above  their 
fellow- members,  and  exercise  authoritative,  coercive,  do- 
mineering power  over  them  :  whereas  the  very  apostles 
themselves  were  not  lords  of  the  church,  but  fellow- 
members  with  the  faidiful;  living  in  one  body,  and  un- 
der one  head  with  them,  and  so  did  all  by  love  and  per- 
suasion, and  nothing  by  force  and  violence.  Now  those 
members  that  exalt  themselves  above  their  fellow  and 
equal  members,  what  do  they  else  but  usurp  the  place  of 
the  head ;  and  so  break  in  sunder  the  unity  of  the  body, 
which  stands  in  the  unity  of  the  head  ?  He  that,  in  a  single 
or  combined  unity,  sets  himself  up  above  other  believers, 
by  giving  laws,  and  by  prescribing  and  commanding  forms 
and  rules  to  those  that  are  every  way   his  equals,   ad- 


IX  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  181 

varices  himself  as  another  head  besides  Christ ;  and  so 
antichrist  is  nearer  to  us  than  we  are  aware ;  and  many 
men  that  are  so  forward  and  fierce,  to  make  and  enforce 
rules  and  orders,  colourably  to  procure  the  church's  peace, 
they  are  the  first  men  that  do  themselves  break  this  first 
bond  of  the  church's  unity,  to  wit,  unity  of  body,  which 
makes  all  believers  equal  members,  equally  subject  to  one 
head. 

The  second  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity,  is, 
One  Spirit. 

There  is  ojie  bodi/,  and  one  Spirit,  s^ath'  Paul ;  and 
through  unity  of  Spirit  they  become  one  body.  Now  as 
the  body  of  man  consists  of  many  members,  and  but  one 
soul  comprehends,  quickens,  moves,  and  governs  all  these 
members,  making  the  eye  to  see,  the  hand  to  work,  the 
foot  to  walk,  &c.  So  the  body  of  Christ,  which  is  the 
church,  consisting  of  many  members,  hath  yet  but  one 
and  the  same  Holy  Spirit,  which  comprehends,  quickens, 
moves  and  governs  them  all,  and  brings  them  into  a  most 
near  and  intimate  society  together,  and  enables  each  mem- 
ber, to  its  several  office,  according  to  its  place  and  use  in 
the  body  of  Christ. 

And  as  a  member,  being  cut  off  from  the  body,  the 
soul  doth  not  follow  it,  to  cause  it  to  live  out  of  the  unity 
of  the  body :  so  he  that  is  divided  from  the  true  body  of 
Christ,  the  Spirit  doth  not  follow  him,  to  make  him  live 
single  by  himself;  and  so  neither  is  the  body  of  Christ 
without  the  Spirit,  nor  the  Spirit  of  Christ  without  the 
body. 

And  as  the  same  soul,  in  several  members,  acts  seve- 
rally, and  yet  is  but  one  and  the  same  soul  in  all ;  so  the 
same  Holy  Spirit,  in  several  believers,  works  severally,  as 
it  pleaseth,  and  yet  is  but  the  same  Holy  Spirit  in  them  all. 

So  that  the  whole  body  of  Christ,  that  is,  all  believers 
in  the  world,  have  but  one  and  the  same  Holy  Spirit  in 


182  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

them  ;  and  this  unity  of  Spirit  in  the  church,  is  one  strong 
bond  of  its  peace.  Among  mankind  in  general,  and  more 
nearly  among  kindred,  there  is  unity  of  flesh  ;  but  because 
there  is  difference  of  spirit,  there  is  much  envy,  hatred, 
strife  and  variance,  in  that  unity  of  flesh ;  but  now  flie 
members  of  the  body  are  not  only  one  flesh,  but  one  soul 
or  spirit  too  ;  and  so  there  is  always  peace  and  agreement 
between  them.  And  so  the  true  church  of  Christ  is  not 
only  one  body,  but  one  Spirit  too ;  and  this  makes  it  one 
indeed.  For  as  this  Spirit  is  the  love  and  connection  of 
the  Father  and  the  Son  ;  so  it  is  also  our  love  and  connec- 
tion in  the  Father  and  the  Son  ;  and  as  the  Father  and  the 
Son  live  in  unity  of  Spirit,  so  all  believers  live  in  the 
unity  of  the  same  Spirit  in  them. 

Now  they  on  whom  the  Spirit  was  first  given,  after 
Christ  was  glorified,  had  also  with  the  Spirit,  the  gift  of 
tongues  ;  the  Spirit  given,  being  for  the  communion  of  the 
church,  and  so  they  spake  with  the  tongues  of  all,  the 
church  having,  through  the  communion  of  the  Spirit,  its 
society  and  consociation  :  For  he  that  speaks  by  the  Spirit 
in  the  church,  where  all  are  one  Spirit  in  Christ,  he 
speaks  with  the  tongues  of  all ;  and  when  a  believer  hears 
another  speak,  it  is  as  if  he  himself  did  speak  ;  and  when 
one  speaks,  it  is  as  if  all  spake  ;  for  he  speaks  in  the  unity 
of  Spirit  with  them,  and  so  Speaks  the  same  doctrine  of  the 
gospel  and  mind  of  Christ,  which  they  *all  have  equally 
heard  and  learned  from  God. 

Hence  it  is  evident,  that  it  is  nothing  to  have  the  out- 
ward form  of  a  church,  even  as  our  souls  could  wish,  ex- 
cept there  be  inwardly,  in  that  church,  the  Spirit  of  Christ ; 
For  it  is  not  unity  of  form  will  ever  make  the  church  one, 
but  unity  of  Spirit :  That  church  then  that  is  destitute  of 
the  Spirit,  in  its  laws,  orders,  constitutions,  forms,  mem- 
bers, and  officers  :  what  true  unity  can  that  have  in  all  its 
uniformity  ? 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  ]  183 

And  this  is  the  second  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity  : 
Unity  of  Spirit. 

Now  they  break  this  bond  of  the  church's  unity,  that 
live  in  their  own  spirits,  and  not  in  Christ's ;  for  they  that 
live  in  a  different  spirit  from  the  true  church,  what  unity- 
can  they  possibly  have  with  it  ?  They  then  that  live  in 
their  own  human  reason,  understanding,  thoughts,  coun- 
sel, wills,  and  ends,  tliey  live  quite  out  of  the  unity  of 
this  church,  yea,  in  direct  enmity  against  it :  seeing  our 
own  corrupt  and  earthly  spirits,  are  most  contrary  to  the 
holy  and  heavenly  Spirit  of  Christ,  in  which  the  church 
lives.  Wherefore  we  may  learn  hence,  ^^hat  to  judge  of 
those  men  that  cry  out  much  for  the  peace  of  the  church, 
and  yet  themselves  neither  live  in,  nor  are  led  by,  the  spi- 
rit of  the  church ;  but  either  by  their  own  spirits,  or  anti- 
christ's. 

2.  They  that  labour  to  join  men  into  one  body  with 
the  church,  that  are  not  one  spirit  with  it,  do  mar  the 
peace  of  it :  For  as  unity  of  spirit  in  the  church  is  the 
bond  of  peace,  so  diversity  of  spirit  is  the  breach  of  peace; 
and  therefore,  to  preserve  the  peace  of  the  church,  none 
are  to  join  themselves  to  this  one  bod),  that  are  not  oftliis 
one  spirit. 

3.  They  that,  being  of  the  church,  do  any  thing  in  it 
by  their  own  spirits,  and  not  by  Christ's,  prejudice  the 
peace  of  the  church  ;  for  the  true  church  is  such  a  body, 
which  is  to  have  all  its  communion  in  the  Spirit,  And 
therefore,  when  any  pray  or  prophesy,  or  the  like,  in  the 
strength  of  natural  parts,  or  human  studies  and  invention 
only,  and  do  not  pray  and  prophesy  in  the  spirit,  they 
break  the  unity  of  the  church  ;  for  the  faithful  have  com- 
munion with  one  another,  only  so  far  forth  as  the  Spirit  is 
manifested  in  each. 

Now  if  any  shall  say,  how  may  I  know  Christ's  Spirit, 
in  these  acts  and  duties,  from  a  man's  o\vn  ? 


184  THK  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

I  answer,  That  as,  by  the  word  of  God,  we  can  judge 
of  all  other  words  and  doctrines ;  and  as,  by  the  faith  of 
Christ,  we  can  judge  of  all  other  beliefs  ;  so  by  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  we  can  judge  of  all  other  spirits  ;  and  can  know 
where  is  the  same  spirit,  and  where  is  a  different,  or  a  con- 
trary spirit ;  as  the  members  of  the  body  can  judge  of  the 
oneness  of  spirit  that  is  among  themselves. 

The  third  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity,  is. 
One  hope  of  our  calling. 

Evin  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling :  As  all 
believers  are  called  by  one  calling  (which  is  the  inward  and 
effectual  voice  of  God  to  the  soul,  by  his  Spirit  through 
the  gospelj  so  they  are  all  called  into  one  blessed  hope  of 
obtaining  the  kingdom  and  glory  of  God.  And  no  one  is 
called  to  this  hope  more  than  another,  or  hath  more  in- 
terest or  share  in  it  than  another.  Fishes  that  live  in  the 
sea,  though  some  be  greater,  and  some  less,  yet  none  hath 
more  interest  or  share  in  it  than  another  ;  but  all  being 
alike  produced  in  it,  enjoy  it  alike  :  and  creatures  that  live 
on  the  earth,  though  some  be  greater  and  some  less,  yet 
all  enjoy  the  sun  and  air  alike  ;  and  yet  nearer,  the  mem- 
bers of  the  body,  though  of  different  quantity,  form,  and 
office,  yet  all  have  alike  interest  in  the  head  and  all  its 
senses,  and  in  the  soul  and  all  its  faculties  :  So  all  the  faith- 
ful enjoy  Christ  alike,  and  in  him,  the  Spirit  and  the  Fa- 
ther ;  and  no  believer  hath  more  interest  in  Christ  and  God, 
than  another. 

So  that  all  the  faithful  are  called  to  the  same  things, 
and  God  gives  not  more  or  better  things  to  one  than 
to  anothrr,  but  he  gives  immortality,  glory,  eternal  life, 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  is  the  inheritance  of  the 
saints,  or  which  is  all  one,  himself,  alike  to  all,  and  makes 
all  to  sit  alike  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ,  and  in  the 
Father. 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  185 

All  the  faithful  then  are  equally  called  to  an  unity  of 
hope,  and  none  can  hope  for  greater  or  better  things  than 
another.  It  was  a  very  carnal  thing  in  the  mother  of 
Zebedee's  children,  to  desire  of  Christ,  that  one  of  her 
sons  might  sit  at  his  right  hand,  and  another  at  his  left 
hand,  in  his  kingdom,  where  all  alike  sit  at  his  right 
hand,  and  n.one  at  all  at  his  left.  Indeed,  in  the  king, 
doms  of  men,  some  have  greater  estates  than  others,  ancj 
are  in  higher  honour  and  authority  ;  and  this  breeds  envy, 
and  emulation,  and  strife,  and  distance,  &c.  but  in  the 
Son's  kingdom,  and  in  the  Father's,  all  that  are  counted 
worthy  to  dwell  therein,  do  alike  inherit  all  things ;  All 
things  are  yours,  saith  Paul:  And  he  that  overcomes  shall 
inherit  all  things,  saith  John :  And  the  least  believer  hath 
no  less,  and  tfjf^  greatest  hath  no  more  ;  and  this  causes 
unity  and  peace  among  them.  We  see  what  a  strong  bond 
of  peace  and  agreement,  and  unity  of  hope,  is  in  them  that 
travel  together,  that  fight  together,  that  labour  together ; 
and  so,  much  more  in  them  who  are  equally  called  by  God, 
to  the  kingdom  of  God. 

And  this  is  the  third  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity. 
Unity  of  hope. 

Now  they  break  this  bond  of  the  church's  unity,  that 
live  out  of  this  hope  of  the  church  ;  whose  hope  is  in  earth. 
I}-,  carnal,  base  things;  who,  pretending  to  be  Christians, 
yet  live  only  in  the  hopes  of  men,  in  hopes  of  worldly  pro- 
fit, honour,  preferment,  and  the  attaining  and  enjoyment 
of  the  things  of  this  life,  which  they,  according  to  the 
eagerness  of  their  hopes,  prosecute  mightily,  by  all  ways 
and  means.  These  men,  I  say,  break  the  unity  of  the 
church :  for  what  true  unity  can  they  have  with  the  true 
church,  that  live  not  in  unity  of  hope  with  it  ?  Seeing 
worldly  hopes  carry  men  one  way,  and  the  hopes  of  be- 
lievers carry  them  another :  carnal  hopes  make  men  leave 

God  for  the  world :  and  the  hope  of  saints  makes  them 

A  a 


186  TttE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

leave  the  world  for  God :  Wherefore,  they  that  differ  in 
their  hopes,  which  are  their  ends,  must  needs  differ  in 
their  ways  and  works ;  and  so,  he  that  lives  out  of  the 
hope  of  the  church,  lives  also  out  of  the  unity  of  it. 
The  fourth  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity,  is, 
One  Lord. 

The  right  church  hath  not  many  Lords,  but  One  ;  and 
this  one  and  only  Lord,  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  And  so 
all  the  subjects  of  this  kingdom  are  fellow- servants  to  one 
Lord,  to  whom  they  do  own  equal  obedience ;  and  this 
also  is  a  strong  bond  of  unity. 

For  when  there  are  divers  Lords,  there  are  divers  minds, 
and  wills,  and  ends,  and  so  divers  laws ;  and  these  breed  di- 
visions, and  dissensions,  and  wars  among  men  ;  but  where 
there  is  but  one  Lord,  there  is  also  buti^ie  law;  and 
where  people  live  by  one  law,  under  one  Lord,  unto 
whom  all  are  equally  subject,  this  breeds  peace  and 
union. 

Now  the  Lordship  of  the  church,  is  the  royal  preroga- 
iive  of  Christ,  and  no  creature  must  presume  to  arrogate 
this  honour  to  himself;  seeing,  unto  the  very  angels  he 
hath  not  put  in  subjection  this  world  to  come,  whereof  we 
speak.  And  for  men,  Christ  hath  charged  his  own  apostles 
(who,  if  there  were  any  difference  among  believers,  might 
undoubtedly  challenge  the  pre-eminence)  I  say,  Christ  hach 
charged  even  them  on  this  sort :  Matt,  xxiii.  10.  Be  not  ye 
called  masters,  for  one  is  your  master,  even  Christ ;  but  he 
that  is  greatest  among  you  shall  be  your  servant :  That  is, 
you  may  and  ought  to  be  servants  to  one  another,  but  not 
masters  :  and  this  same  doctrine,  the  apostle  James  preach- 
eth :  My  brethren,  saith  he,  be  not  many  masters,  knowing  that 
we  shallreceive  the  greater  condemnation:  Jam.  iii.  1.  It  is  not 
fit  for  brethren,  who  are  equal  among  themselves,  to  make 
themselves  masters  over  one  another.  Christ  also  hath 
•spoken  again  so  plainly  to  this  matter  :  Matt.  xx.  that  one 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  137 

would  wonder,  that  ever  the  beast,  or  his  image,  should 
dare  to  arrogate  to  themselves  lordship  over  the  people  of 
God,  in  so  clear  a  light ;  Ye  laww  (saith  Christ  to  the 
twelve)  that  the  princes  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  dominion 
over  them^  and  they  that  are  great  exercise  authority  over 
them:  but  it  shall  not  be  so  amongst  you  :  He  speaks  it  pe- 
remptorily; that  some  believers  should  not  exercise  dominion 
and  authority  over  other  believers;  no,  not  the  greatest  over 
the  least,  all  being  fellow- servants  alike,  under  one  Lord. 
Wherefore,  they  that  are  puffed  up  in  then'  hearts  against 
their  fellow-servants,  mightbetterthink  thus  with  themselves, 
why  Christ  is  our  Lord,  as  well  as  theirs,  and  is  as  much 
over  us  as  over  them  :  and  we  are  not  over  our  fellow-ser- 
vants, nor  they  under  us ;  but  both  of  us  are  equally  under 
Christ,  and  Christ  is  equally  over  us  both  ;  and  so  Christ 
hath  given  us  the  same  laws  he  hath  given  them ;  to  wit. 
that  we  should  believe  in  him,  and  love  one  another ;  and 
he  expects  the  same  obedience  from  us,  as  from  them  ;  and 
€0  we  are  not  to  conjmand  one  another ;  but  are  all  alike 
to  be  commanded  by  him.  It  was  the  evil  servant,  that 
beat  his  fellow  servants,  upon  hopes  of  the  delay  of  his 
master's  coming. 

And  this  is  the  fourth  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity. 
Unity  of  Lord. 

Now  they  break  this  bond  of  the  church's  unity,  that 
either  make  themselves,  or  others,  lords  over  the  church, 
besides  Christ,  and  parcel  out  this  one  kingdom  of  the  Son, 
to  many  lords,  to  the  great  dishonour  of  Christ,  and  dis- 
union of  the  church. 

The  pope  was  the  first  that  professed  himself  to  be  the 
general  master  in  the  whole  church  of  God  ;  and  after  the 
pope,  a  general  cowicil  took  this  honour  Jo  itself;  and  by 
degrees,  this  last  became  as  hard,  yea,  a  harder  taskmaster 
to  the  church  than  the  former.  Afterwards,  when  particu- 
lar kingdoms  fell  off  from  the  pope,  and  his  antichristian 


18a  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

church,  the  mystery  of  iniquity  was  not,  by  this  means, 
wholly  dissolved ;  but  only  was  contracted,  and  brought 
into  a  less  compass ;  for  then  the  archbishop  made  him- 
self general  master  of  the  church  in  each  particular  king- 
dom, as  the  pope  before  had  done  in  all ;  and  after  the 
archbishop  raises  up  a  national  assembly^  as  the  general 
council  after  the  pope  ;  and  each  of  these,  in  their  courses, 
usurp  lordship  over  the  church  of  Christ,  to  the  sad  disso- 
lution of  its  unity. 

Most  evident  then  it  is,  that  during  the  time  of  the 
apostacy,  the  church  hath  been  most  miserably  lorded 
over,  even  amongst  us;  for  the  priest  lorded  over  the 
people,  the  archdeacon  over  the  priest,  the  dean  over  the 
archdeacon,  the  bishop  over  the  dean,  and  the  archbishop 
over  the  bishop  ;  under  which  woful  bondage,  the  church 
cried  out,  as  Isai.  xxvi.  O  Lord  our  God,  other  lords  besides 
thee  have  had  dominion  over  us.  And  is  this  bondage  of  the 
church  now  cased,  by  casting  off  those  strange  lords?  Yea, 
do  not  men  rather  seek  to  increase  it,  by  setting  yet 
stranger  over  it,  whose  names  are  so  full  of  mystery,  that 
the  common  people  cannot  understand  them  ?  for  now 
they  would  have  the  classical  presbytery  set  over  the  con- 
gregational, and  the  provincial  over  the  classical,  and  the 
national  over  the  provincial;  for  so  it  is  voted.  That 

IT  IS  LAWFUL,  AND  AGREEABLE  TO  THE  WORD  OF  QoD, 
THAT  THEREBE  A  SUBORDINATION  OF  CONGREGATION- 
AL, CLASSICAL,  PROVINCIAL  AND  NATIONAL  ASSEM- 
BLIES, FOR   THE   GOVERNMENT  OF   THE   CHURCH  :    NoW 

here  is  mystery,  and  nothing  but  a  certain  rising  up  into  the 
old  power,  under  a  new  name.  And  mark  how  they  prove 
this  subordination  of  congregational,  classical,  provincial  and 
national  assemWjes,  to  wit,  by  that  scripture^  Matt,  xviii. 
where  it  is  written,  If  thy  brother  trespass  against  thee^  and 
will  neither  hear  thy  admonition  nor  counsel,  nor  the  admoni- 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  189 

tion  and  counsel  of  other  brethren^  tell  the  church  ;  that 
is,  the  congregation  of  the  faithful.  Now  from  this  place 
they  prove  the  fore- mentioned  subordination  of  assemblies  ; 
just  as  the  pope  once  proved  himself  to  be  above  the  em- 
peror, to  wit,  because  it  is  written,  Gen.  i.  That  God  made 
twogreat  lights,  thesun  to  ruleby  day^  andthemoon  by  night* 
Now  if  this  might  be  brought  about,  which  they  design, 
the  church  would  be  so  far  from  bcin^eased  of  its  strange 
lords,  that  it  should  have  them  exceedingly  multiplied  :  for 
what  is  a  national  assembly,  but  an  archbishop  multipli- 
ed  ?  And  what  a  provincial  assembly,  but  a  bishop  multi- 
plied ?  And  a  classical,  but  a  dean  and  archdeacon  mul- 
tiplied ?  And  thus  the  former  lords  being  removed,  they 
would,  in  their  stead,  cause  the  church  to  swarm  with  clas- 
sical, provincial,  and  national  lords,  and  would  by  no  means 
suffer  Christ's  own  kingdom  to  return  to  his  own  lordship 
and  dominion.  And  thus,  whilst  they,  by  secular  power, 
seek  to  enforce  these  ecclesiastical  lords  over  the  church, 
they  absolutely  break  in  pieces  the  unity  of  it,  even  whilst 
they  bear  the  simple  people  in  hand,  that  they,  above  all 
other  men,  seek  to  preserve  it :  seeing  the  plurality  of  lords 
is  always  the  cause  of  schisms  and  divisions  in  the  church, 
which  can  never  be  one,  but  under  one  Lord,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

The  fifth  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity,  is, 

One  Faith. 
The  true  church  of  God  hath  but  one  faith,  wrought 
by  one  Spirit,  apprehending  the  same  Christ,  or  the  same 
living  and  eternal  truth  of  God.  So  that  Abraham^  and 
Moses,  and  David,  and  all  the  prophets,  and  all  the  apos- 
tles, and  we  who  now  believe,  and  all  that  shall  believe 
hereafter,  all  have,  and  do,  and  shall  live  in  the  same  mys- 
tery of  faith  ;  that  is,  believers  in  all  ages  do  not  live  their 
own  lives,  but  all  live  the  life  of  Christ  in  their  ou  n  souls 
and  bodies,  each  one  receiving  equally  from  Christ ;  the 


190  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &t, 

life  of  Christ,  which  they  all  live  alike  in  him,  being  one 
with  him ;  as  the  branches  live  equally  the  life  of  the 
vine ;  and  one  branch  lives  it  not  more  than  another. 
Through  faith,  then,  every  Christian  is  carried  out  of  him- 
self, and  all  his  own  things,  into  Christ,  whom  he  appre- 
hends with  all  his  fulness,  for  his  own  ;  and  in  this  faith, 
all  Christians  are  equal,  and  none  hath  a  better  or  worse 
faith  than  another.  ♦ 

So  that,  in  regard  of  faith  also,  there  is  among  the  true 
church,  unity  and  equality. 

For  all  believers  have  one  and  the  same  faith  of  the  ope- 
ration of  God,  wrought  by  the  same  Spirit  which  raised  up 
Christ  from  the  dead ;  and  that  faith  which  the  Spirit 
works,  neither  sin,  death,  nor  the  devil,  can  possibly  pre- 
vail against ;  and  so  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  the  Spirit, 
is  altogether  invincible  in  all  the  faithful. 

Among  true  Christians,  some  are  not  justified  by  faith, 
and  some  by  works,  but  all  are  saved  through  faith,  with- 
out the  works  of  the  law.  ' 

Among  true  Christians,  one  believer's  faith  doth  not  ap- 
prehend one  word,  and  another's  another  word ;  but  the 
faith  of  each,  and  of  all,  apprehends  one  and  the  same  word 
of  truth  and  life,  which  is  Christ  himself,  "  Yesterday,  and 
to-day,  and  the  same  for  ever." 

Among  believers,  one  doth  not  live  his  own  life,  and 
another  Christ's,  which  indeed  would  make  them  very  dif- 
ferent and  unequal;  but  all  live  Christ's  life  alike,  and  none 
their  own. 

And  thus  is  the  whole  church  knit  together  in  unity  of 
faith. 

Now  this  unity  of  faith  is  mightily  able  to  preserve 
peace  among  believers,  notvvitlistanding  diversity,  either  of 
inward  gifts,  or  outward  works. 

1.  Unity  of  faith  preserves  peace,  notwithstanding  di- 
versity of  inward  gifts ;  inasmuch  as  we  are  not  made  mem- 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.   .  191 

bers  of  Christ's  body,  through  such  and  such  gifts,  but 
merely  through  faith  ;  and  so  he  that  hath  one,  or  a  less 
gift,  is  equally  a  member  of  Christ,  through  his  faith, 
with  him  that  hath  another,  or  a  greater  gift ;  and  so  unity 
of  faith,  which  makes  us  all  one  body  in  Christ,  is  to  keep 
us  one,  notwithstanding  diversity  of  gifts  and  operations ; 
and  diversity  of  gifts  are  in  no  wise  to  divide,  where  there 
is  unity  of  faith.  Further,  among  them  that  believe, 
where  there  is  the  more  gift,  there  is  only  the  more  la- 
bour ;  but  there  is  not  another  or  a  better  Christ ;  and 
where  there  is  the  less  gift,  there  is  the  same  Christ,  equal- 
ly  enjoyed  through  faith  :  He  that  had  five  talents  given 
him,  brought  in  five  that  he  had  gained  ;  and  he  that  had 
ten,  ten :  but  he  that  brought  in  most  talents,  had  not 
more  of  Christ  than  he  that  brought  in  fewer ;  and  he  that 
brought  in  fewer,  had  not  less  of  him  than  he  that  brought 
in  more  ;  but  each,  having  Christ  alike  by  faith,  brought 
in  the  exercise  of  his  several  gifts.  And  so,  unity  of  faith 
is  to  keep  us  one,  notwithstanding  diversity  of  inward 
gifts. 

And  secondly,  it  is  to  keep  us  one,  notwithstanding 
diversity  of  outward  works.  For  unity  of  faith  makes 
all  believers  righteous  alike,  though  they  differ  in  out- 
ward works  :  for  in  Christ's  kingdom,  each  one's  righteous- 
ness is  reckoned  by  his  faith,  not  by  his  outward  works. 
And  therefore,  Paul,  Heb.  xiii.  7.  having  reckoned  up  ma- 
ny excellent  works  of  the  fathers,  doth  not  enjoin  us  to 
follow  their  works,  but  their  faith  ;  saying.  Whose  faith 
follow,  considering  the  end  of  their  conversation  ;  seeing  the 
unity  of  the  church  stands  in  unity  of  faith  ;  and  there 
may  be  unity  of  faith  in  diversity  of  works ;  for  faith  uses 
freely  any  outward  laws,  manners,  forms,  works,  so  far  as 
they  may  tend  to  the  mortifying  of  our  bodies,  and  the 
edifying  of  our  neighbours  :  wherein  faith  also  will  judge 
for  itself,  and  will  suffer  no  body  to  judge  for  it :  and  in 


192  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

all  change  of  works,  faith  is  the  san\e,  and  changes  not ; 
and  the  church  still  remains  one,  through  unity  of  faith, 
in  the  midst  of  variety  and  diversity  of  outward  works. 
And  therefore,  where  men  are  accounted  Christiansfor  such 
and  such  outward  works  sake,  and  this  unity  of  faith  is  not 
taught  and  received,  there  the  gates  of  hell  do  certainly 
prevail. 

And  this  is  the  fifth  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity. 
Unity  of  faith. 

Now  they  break  this  bond  of  the  church's  unity,  that 
live  out  of  this  faith  of  God's  elect ;  seeing  it  is  written. 
That  the  just  shall  live  by  faith:  And  therefore,  they  that 
live  by  sense,  in  the  things  of  the  world,  or  by  form  in  the 
things  of  God,  they  live  out  of  this  faith  and  unity  of  the 
church. 

1.  They  that  live  by  sense,  in  the  things  of  the  world, 
break  this  bond  of  the  church's  unity  ;  even  such  as  mind, 
and  affect,  and  love,  and  desire,  earthly  things,  and  have 
all  their  joy,  comfort,  sweetness,  satisfaction,  support,  and 
confidence,  in  the  creature ;  these  live  out  of  the  unity  of 
the  church  ;  seeing  the  life  of  sense  is  quite  contrary  to 
the  life  of  faith :  Faith  carrying  us  to  live  in  God,  out  of 
the  creature,  and  sense  carrying  us  to  live  in  the  creature, 
out  of  God. 

2.  They  that  live  by  form  in  the  things  of  God,  whe- 
ther it  be  called  conformity,  as  the  prelates  called  it  :  or 
uniformity,  as  the  Rhemists,  do  also  break  this  bond  of  the 
church's  unity.  For,  to  live  upon  this  or  that  form  of 
religion,  or  worship,  so  as  to  think  ourselves  good  Chris- 
tians therefore,  and  others  evil,  that  shall  live  otherwise, 
is  to  fall  apparently  from  the  faith  of  the  church  ;  seeing 
faith  doth  not  live  upon  this  or  that  form  of  religion,  but 
it  lives  on  Christ  only  in  every  duty  ;  and  wliatsoever  form 
it  niny  use,  for  a  help  to  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh,  yet  in 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  I93 

the  use  of  forms,  it  lives  above  forms  in  Jesus  Christ,  and 
his  fnhiess. 

The  sixth  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity,  is. 
One  Baptism. 

The  true  church,  which  is  the  body  or  flesh  of  Christ, 
hath  but  one  and  the  self-same  baptism,  by  which  it  is  pu- 
rified ;  which  is  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit :  For  the  apostle 
speaks  here  of  that  baptism,  wherein  the  whole  church  is 
one  ;  which  is  not  the  baptism  of  the  sign,  which  hath  often 
been  altered  and  changed,  but  the  baptism  of  the  substance, 
which  comprehends  all  believers,  and  all  ages,  and  under 
several  and  various  dispensations ;  and  was  the  same  be- 
fore Christ's  coming  in  the  flesh,  as  since  ;  believers,  both 
of  tlie  Jews  and  Gentiles,  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
drinking  all  alike  into  one  spirit,  though  these  more  plen- 
tifully than  those  :  So  that,  though  many  have  wanted  the 
baptism  of  water,  yet  not  one  member  of  the  true  church 
hath  \vanted  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  from  whence  our 
true  Christianity  begins. 

Now  this  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  is  the  only  baptism  that 
hath  power  and  efficacy  to  make  Christians  one  :  For, 
through  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  it  is,  that  the  church  is 
made  one  body,  as  Paul  s,iiih :  1  Cor.  xii.  13.  For  by  one 
Spirit  we  are  all  baptized  into  one  bodi/,  whether  we  be  Jews 
or  Gree/iSy  whether  xve  be  bond  or  free  ^  and  have  been  all 
made  to  drink  into  one  Spirit :  The  true  church  drinks  all 
into  one  Spirit  (as  ye  have  heard)  and  not  into  many  ;  and 
through  one  Spirit  are  baptized  into  one  body,  and  not  into 
many  ;  and  believers  are  never  truly  one,  till  they  partake 
of  this  one  baptism. 

Now  this  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  as  it  is  but  one,  so  it  is 

administered  only  by  one  Christ;  -dsJohn  Baptist  witnesseth, 

saying,  /indeed  baptize  you  withwater^  unto  repentance;  but 

he  that  conieth  after  me,  is  inightier  than  /,  xvhose  shoes  lam 

not  xuorthy  to  bear;  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Spirit, 

Bb 


194.  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

and  with  fire,  Matt.  iii.  11.  For  as  none  can  give  the  Son, 
but  the  Father,  so  none  can  baptize  with  the  Spirit,  but  the 
Son  ;  for  this  is  Christ's  proper  and  peculiar  baptism  from 
the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  no  man's  whatsoever ;  this  he 
hath  reserved  in  his  own  power,  and  hath  not  given  it  into 
any  man's  power. 

And  this  is  the  sixth  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity. 
One  Baptism. 

Now  they  break  this  bond  of  the  church's  unity,  that 
content  themselves  only  w'^^h  the  baptism  of  water,  being 
destitute  of  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit ;  and  so  remain  in  the 
uncleanness  of  all  their  old  corruptions  and  lusts,  and  in 
all  the  filthiness  and  pollutions  of  flesh  and  spirit ;  by  rea- 
son  of  which,  they  can  have  no  true  peace  and  agreement 
in  heart,  and  spirit,  and  nature,  with  those  who  are  cleans- 
ed from  these  pollutions,  and  are  washed  and  justified, 
purified  and  sanctified  in  the  name,  and  by  the  Spirit  of 
God :  For  what  agreement  can  there  be  between  them  that 
live  in  all  the  corruptions  of  sinful  men,  and  them  that 
live  in  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  So  that  it  is  not 
the  washing  of  water,  but  the  washing  of  the  Spirit,  that 
is  the  true  ground  of  the  true  church's  unity ;  and  they 
that  want  this  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  though  they  have  been 
baptized  with  water  never  so  much,  live  quite  out  of  the 
unity  of  the  church. 

The  seventh  bond  of  the  church's  unity,  is, 

One  God  and  Father  of 

all,  who  is  above  all-, 

and  through  all, 

and  in  you  all. 

And  this,  though  it  be  last  named,  is  the  first  fountain 
and  original  of  the  church's  unity,  even  one  God  and  Fa- 
ther of  all. 

The  true  church  is  a  kingdom  of  brethren,  who  have 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  I95 

all  one  God  and  Father,  fronn  whom  all  receive  alike  the 
divine  nature ;  which  being  one  and  tlie  same  in  all,  with- 
out any  difference,  makes  them  all  one  and  equal,  that  are 
born  of  God.  For  among  these,  none  have  a  better  Father 
than  another,  neither  have  any  a  more  excellent  nature  than 
another,  but  all  receive  the  same  nature  from  the  same  God 
and  Father ;  and  so  are  brethren  in  the  Lord ;  and  this 
also  is  another  strong  bond  of  unity. 

For  they  having  all  one  God  and  Father ;  First,  all  are 
alike  dear  to  him,  because  all  are  alike  born  of  him,  and 
so  he  loves  not  one  more  or  less  than  another,  but  compre- 
hends all  in  one  and  the  same  love  with  Jesus  Christ.  And 
this  truly  known,  will  restrain  believers  from  wronging  one 
another,  when  they  know  that  such  are  every  whit  as  dear 
to  God  as  themselves  ;  and  that  God  hath  as  great  and  ten- 
der love  to  them,  and  care  over  them. 

Secondly,  All  are  alike  near  to  us,  because  of  this  one 
God  and  Father;  and  so  among  true  Christians,  there  can 
be  no  such  divisions,  and  factions,  and  sidings,  as  among 
worldly  people  ;  because  one  Christian  is  not  nearer  to  us 
than  another,  and  so  we  do  not  take  part  with  one  against 
another,  but  all  are  alike  near  to  us ;  and  so  without  any 
respect  of  persons  we  embrace  all  that  are  born  of  God, 
with  an  equal  love,  and  seek  the  good  of  each  one,  yea,  of 
every  one  as  well  as  any  one. 

Now  this  God  and  Father  of  the  church,  he  farther  des- 
cribes that  he  is, 

1.  Above  all  ;  The  Father  is  above  the  children,  and 
they  are  not  above  one  another,  but  he  is  above  them 
all,  ruling  and  over-ruling  them  ;  and  so  they  are  not 
to  live  in  their  own  wills,  which  might  cause  dif- 
ference, but  in  their  Father's  will,  which  causes 
unity ;  and  thus  his  being  above  them  all,  keeps 
them  in  peace  ;  whereas  we  see,  where  children  live 
without  due  subjection,  having  no  body  above  them, 


196  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

as  it  falls  out  sometimes  among  orphans,  there  they 
are  often  unquiet  and  grievous  to  one  another  :  But 
God  is  above  all  his  children,  and  so  keeps  them  in 
due  subjection  to  him,  and  in  quietness  and  love  with, 
one  another,  daily  composing  their  differences  through 
his  unity. 

2.  He  is,  Through  all  ;  as  having  communicated  to 
all  his  own  nature ;  and  so  according  to  this  nature 
of  his,  which  he  hath  communicated  to  all  alike, 
and  all  alike  possess,  he  is  through  them  all.  And 
hereupon  they  all  must  needs  be  one,  because  God 
never  differs  from  himself,  but  his  nature  is  at  unity 
with  itself  in  all,  in  whom  it  dwells ;  and  brings  them 
all  out  of  the  differences  of  their  natures,  into  the  unity 
of  God's. 

3.  He  is.  In  them  all.  God  is  such  a  Father  as  hath 
his  presence  in  all  his  children  ;  he  hath  a  special 
presence  in  them,  dwelling  in  them  after  the  manner 
he  dwelt  in  Chriit,  though  not  in  that  measure  ;  for 
God  dwells  in  Christ  and  Christians  otherwise  than  in 
the  rest  of  the  creatures  ;  to  wit,  by  communicating 
his  nature  to  them  through  his  union  with  them  :  And 
wherever  God  communicates  his  nature,  there  he  is 
present  most  truly,  powerfully,  and  gloriously  in- 
deed :  And  such  a  presence  of  God  in  his  church  as 
this,  keeps  it  in  constant  and  unchangeable  unity : 
For  how  can  they  who  have  God  thus  dwelling  in 
them,  and  who  aeain  thus  dwell  in  God,  be  at  odds 
among  themselves  ? 

And  this  is  tlie  seventh  bond  of  the  true  church's  unity, 
One  God  and  Father,  &c. 

Now  they  break  this  bond  of  the  church's  unity,  who 
have  not  this  one  God  and  Father  of  the  church  to  be 
their  God  and  their  Father ;  who  will  needs  call  God 
Father,  and  yet  are  none  of  his  childreji ;  who  will  be  of 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  197 

the  church  of  God,  and  yet  are  not  born  of  God  ;  and  so 
live  according  to  their  own  natures,  and  not  according  to 
God's  ;  all  these,  I  say,  break  the  unity  of  the  church, 
seeing  we  can  no  longer  live  in  peace,  than  this  one  God 
and  Father  is  above  us,  and  through  us,  and  in  us.  All 
they  then  that  will  needs  be  members  of  the  church  through 
outward  profession,  and  yet  are  none  of  this  spiritual  bro- 
therhood, as  liaving  no  descent  from  this  heavenly  Father, 
tliey  break  this  unity  of  the  church,  even  all  the  children 
that  are  only  born  after  the  flesh,  and  so  still  live  according 
to  the  natures  of  men,  and  are  not  born  of  the  Spirit,  to 
live  after  the  nature  of  God. 

These  now  are  the  seven  Ijonds  of  the  true  church's  true 
unity  and  peace  ;  and  there  is  no  other  bond  of  unity  neces- 
sary for  the  church,  besides  these  :  For  if  there  had,  the  apos- 
tle, being  guided  b}'  the  Spirit,  would  never  have  omitted 
it.  And  therefore  the  more  are  they  to  blame,  who  mak- 
ing a  great  noise,  and  lifting  up  their  voice  on  high  for 
unity,  peace  and  agreement  in  the  church,  yet  do  wholly 
neglect  these  seven  bonds  of  the  true  church's  unity  ;  and 
cry  up  one  instead  of  them  all  ;  and  that  is  external  uni- 
formity. So  that  now,  among  them,  07ie  body,  and  one 
Spirit,  and  one  hope  of  our  calling,  and  one  Lord,  and 
one  faith,  and  one  baptism,  and  one  God  and  Father  of  all ^ 
are  nothing  at  all  to  the  church's  unity,  but  their  uniformity 
is  all  in  all ;  and  whoever  breaks  that  (which  yet  they  have 
no  scripture  of  God  to  enjoin,  no  nor  once  to  name)  he  is 
the  man  with  them,  that  breaks  the  church's  peace  ;  and  so, 
antichrist-like,  they  have  exalted  their  single  uniformity 
above  this  seven-fold  unity  of  the  church,  and  so  have  (as 
*,  much  as  in  them  lies)  made  the  word  of  the  Spirit  void, 
through  their  carnal  (that  I  say  no  more)  traditions.  For 
a  man  may  break  all  these  seven  bonds  of  the  church's 
unity,  and  yet  be  a  very  good  member  of  their  church, 
^fh'^  onjv  observes  their  uniformity;  but  if  he  break  this 


198  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

he  is  a  schismatic,  and  an  heretic,  and  not  worthy  to  live 
in  their  account,  though  he  live  in  all  the  bonds  of  this 
true  and  spiritual  unity. 

Wherefore,  to  escape  these  snares,  let  all  believers  know 
assuredly,  that  these  seven  bonds  named  by  the  apostle, 
which  are  all  spiritual,  and  of  God,  and  not  one  of  them 
carnal,  or  of  man,  are  the  only  bonds  of  the  true  church's 
true  unity ;  and  that  whoever,  of  their  own  minds,  presume 
to  add  to  these,  are  guilty  of  adding  to  the  word  of  God, 
themselves  being  but  wretched  creatures  ;  and  so  involve 
themselves  in  all  the  curses  written  in  his  book,  among 
which  death  and  hell  have  their  place.  And  let  us  fur- 
ther know,  that  whoever  do  combine  together  to  make 
themselves  one,  out  of  the  fore-named  unity,  though  they 
call  themselves  the  church  never  so  much,  yet  they  are 
but  sects,  and  schisms,  and  divisions,  and  factions,  rent  from 
the  true  church  of  God  :  for  such  men  choose  and  frame 
to  themselves  some  singular  way  of  worship,  form,  order, 
&:c.  whereby  they  think  they  excel  other  Christians,  and 
so  cause  the  simple  and  ignorant  (which  are  the  multitude 
of  people)  to  follow  them  ;  especially,  having  countenance 
of  worldly  authority  :  by  which  means,  both  they  and  their 
followers  depart  from  the  true  unity  of  the  church  :  For 
when  this  seven-fold  spiritual  unity  is  neglected,  Chris- 
tianity is  torn  in  pieces,  into  as  many  sects  as  the  world 
and  devil  please,  till  there  be  no  footsteps  left,  either  of 
faith  or  love.  So  that  whatever  these  men  pretend,  most 
certain  it  is,  that  all  confederacies  in  the  church,  of  out- 
ward orders,  forms,  rites,  laws,  ceremonies,  disciplines, 
which  are  necessarily  enforced  by  the  secular  power,  sedu- 
ced by  the  ecclesiastical,  will  never  hold  the  church  toge- 
ther ;  but  all  these  are,  and  have  proved,  and  will  prove, 
rather  a  wall  of  partition  in  the  church,  than  a  bond  of 
union  ;  and  if  they  seem  to  work  union,  yet  it  is  no  other 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  199 

than  the  mingling  clay  and  iron  together,  which  no  pains 
nor  art  can  perfectly  compound.  For  all  peace  and  union 
in  the  church,  knit  by  other  bonds  than  are  here  named,  is 
no  spiritual  union,  neither  will  it  stand. 

And  therefore,  dear  Christians  and  Believers,  seeing  we 
have  seven  bonds  of  unity,  all  of  God's  own  making,  to 
make  us  one,  let  not  diversity  of  forms  and  rites,  which 
are  but  sorry  things  of  man's  making,  separate  and  divide 
us  :  but  seeing  each  of  these  bonds  are  able  to  make  us 
one,  how  much  one  should  all  of  them  together  make  us  ? 

And  thus  having  shewed  from  the  word,  how  all  Chris- 
tians and  believers  are  made  one  by  God  ;  the  next  thing 
I  shall  aim  at,  is,  to  shew  how  they  may  continue  one 
among  themselves,  in  reference  to  that  communion  they 
have  with  one  another  whilst  they  sojourn  in  this  world, 
flowing  from  the  former  union  ;  that  so  all  darkness  and 
mistakes,  which  now  even  many  believers  are  grievously 
mwrapped  in,  may  be  dispelled  and  done  away,  and  we 
may  live  in  this  pure  and  perfect  union  with  one  another 
in  God,  making  all  'outward  things  subservient  hereunto, 
and  none  of  them  prejudicial. 

And  to  this  purpose  I  conceive,  we  are, 

1.  To  know  some  things  :  and, 

2.  To  do  other  things  : 

^nd  both  otherwise  than  yet  we  seem,  either  to  know  or 
do  them. 

1.  To  preserve  our  peace  we  have  in  Christ,  we  must 
be  instructed  aright  in  the  matter  of  the  church's  govern- 
ment, because  the  mistake  in  this  thing  is  so  great  a  cause 
of  controversy  and  division  among  us  at  this  day.  For  if 
the  true  church  hath  its  true  government  without  any  such 
forms  and  laws,  and  power,  as  is  now  so  earnestly  contend- 
ed for,  there  is  no  reason  we  should  fall  out  and  divide  for 
these  things. 


200  i'HK  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

Now  the  government  oi  the  church,  is  two-ibkl. 

1.  There  is  that  government  which  God  exercises  im- 
mediately by  himself.     And, 

2.  That  government  which  he  exercises  mediately,  and 
by  the  faithful. 

The  first  of  these,  that  is,  God's  immediate  government, 
is  also  two-fold : 

1.  The  government  of  his  special  providence. 

2.  The  government  of  his  spiritual  presence. 

The  first  sort  of  God's  immediate  government  of  his 
church,  is  the  government  of  his  special  providence,  and 
this  is  a  most  strange,  wonderful,  and  glorious  government. 
This  was  that  government  of  God  over  the  church  of  Is- 
rael, when  he  took  his  own  nation  out  of  the  midst  of  an- 
other nation,  by  temptations,  signs,  wonders,  by  a  strong 
hand,  and  a  stretched-out  arm,  and  great  terrors  ;  when 
he  led  them  through  the  red  sea,  and  through  the  wilder- 
ness, in  paths  that  were  not  trodden  ;  when  he  fed  them 
with  bread  from  heaven,  and  water  out  of  the  rocks ; 
when  he  sufferedno  man  to  do  them  wrong,  but  reproved  even 
kings  for  their  sake  ;  and  through  multitudes  of  enemies 
and  oppositions,  led  them  into  the  land  of  G77z«a«.  Thus, 
God  led  that  church  from  bondage  to  liberty,  from  tri- 
bulation to  quietness,  from  a  sordid  condition  to  honour 
and  renown,  from  a  strange  land  to  a  land  of  inherit^ce, 
and  from  slavery  to  a  kingdom.  And  this  was  a  glorious 
government  indeed,  standing  in  God's  immediate  conduct 
from  heaven,  far  above  all  human  councils,  wisdom,  stra- 
tagems, or  any  thing  else  of  man's  contriving  and  acting  : 
and  this  government  of  God  is  so  far  beyond  all  human 
apprehensions,  that  according  to  this,  it  is  said.  His  way  is 
in  the  sea,  and  his  path  in  the  great  waters,  and  his  foot- 
steps are  not  known. 

And  is  not  this  kind  of  God's  government  of  the  spiri- 
tual church  of  tlic  New  Testament,  every  whit  as  wonder- 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  20] 

fill  and  glorious  as  was  that  of  the  visible  church  of  the 
Old  Testament  ?  For  though  the  beginning  of  it  was  small 
and  lo\\'  in  the  world,  yet  did  it  receive  increase  with  the 
increase  of  God,  and  was  preserved,  maintained  and  en- 
larged in  the  world,  notwithstanding  all  the  rage  and 
cruelties  of  the  persecuting  heathen  emperors,  for  three 
hundred  years  together ;  and  ever  since,  God  himself  hath 
taken  the  conduct  of  this  church,  and  hath  carried  it 
through  difficulties,  distresses,  reproaches,  prisons,  tor- 
ments, deaths;  to  ease,  liberty,  comfca^,  joy,  salvation, 
glory,  life,  and  happiness;  and  this  hath  been  God's  glorious 
government  of  the  church  hitherto.  And  at  this  present 
time,  the  church  of  God  wants  not  this  government,  among 
all  the  troubles,  confusions,  wars,  and  desolations  of  the 
kingdom  ;  but  God  is  now  as  near  his  true  church  as  ever, 
and  supports  and  comforts  it,  and  guides  it  as  a  skilful 
pilot,  in  such  sort,  that  though  the  floods  lift  up  their 
voice  and  billows  against  it,  yet  they  cannot  sink  it :  for  the 
Lord  on  high  is  mightier  than  the  mighty  waves  of  the  sea  : 
And  so  s:ill,  even  at  this  day,  the  Lord  leads  his  flock 
through  the  midst  of  wolves  and  lions,  yea,  through  the 
midst  of  devils,  in  admirable  and  invincible  safety,  and 
gives  them  light  in  darkness,  counsel  in  difficulties,  and 
success  in  all*ttempts,  above  and  beyond,  both  all  the  pow- 
er, and  all  the  expectation  of  the  world. 

Now  note  here,  that  this  kind  of  government  of  the 
church,  God  doth  not  manage  according  to  the  wisdom 
and  thoughts,  no  not  of  his  very  people,  but  wholly  ac- 
cording to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,  and  the  thoughts 
of  his  own  heart :  doing  things  that  they  must  not  know 
yet,  but  must  know  afterwards ;  yea,  such  things,  as  for 
the  present  seem  absurd,  and  absolutely  destructive.  And 
this  is  the  usual  way  and  order  of  God's  governing  his 
saints.     That  of  Luther^  on    Gen.   xxxix.  is  worth  our 

Cc 


O02  THE  WAV  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

minding  here.  "  I  saith  he,  (/)  h.ave  often  endeavoured 
to  prescribe  certain  ways  and  methods  to  God,  which  he 
should  use  in  the  governing  of  his  church  Ah  Lord,  said 
I,  I  would  have  this  to  he  thus  done,  in  diis  order,  with 
this  event.  But  God  did  altogether  contrary  to  what  I  did 
desire.  Then  again,  thought  I,  wh}^,  my  counsel  is  not 
differing  from  the  glory  of  God,  but  it  will  make  much  for 
the  sanctifying  of  thy  name,  the  gathering  and  increasing 
thy  kingdom,  the  propagating  the  knowledge  of  thy  word; 
and,  to  be  brief,  it  is  a  most  excellent  and  profitable  design. 
But  God,  no  doubt,  laughed  at  this  wisdom  of  mine,  and 
said.  Go  to  now,  I  know  thee  to  be  wise  and  learned,  but 
this  was  never  my  manner,  that  either  Peter  or  Martin 
[meaning  himself]  should  teach,  or  form,  or  govern,  or  lead 
me.  For  I  am  not  a  passive,  but  an  active  God,  who  use 
always  to  lead,  govern,  form.  Now,  saith  he,  it  is  very 
grievous,  that  our  wisdom  should  be  only  passive,  and  that 
we  are  commanded  to  mortify  and  slay  it :  and  therefore, 
many  who  could  not  endure  this  mortification,  have  fallen 
horribly."  And  thus  this  kind  "of  God's  government  is 
wholly  according  to  his  own  wisdom  and  counsel,  and 
wholly  without,  yea,  contrary  to  ours.  And  thus  we  are 
in  some  measure  acquainted  with  the  government  of  God's 
special  providence  over  his  church.  ^ 

2.  T.he  second  sort  of  God's  immediate  government  of 
his  church,  is  the  government  of  his  spiritual  presence,  or 
God's  government  within  us.  For  the  right  church  is 
the  city  of  God,  and  hath  God  in  the  midst  of  it,  being 
built  and  framed,  and  that  according  to  every  part  of  it, 
by  the  Spirit,  to  be  the  habitation  of  God  ;  this  is  the  tem- 
ple of  the  hving  God^  as  God  hath  said,  and  God  is  in  it  of 
a  truth  :  And  if  any  would  know  what  this  church  is  call- 

{l)  Ego  seepe  certas  rationes  conalus  sum  Deo  prsescribere,  quibu? 
iiterctur, in  administratione  ecclesise, S^c.  Luther, in  Geir. xxxix.  ton- 
i.\foU  542. 


IN  THE  CIIURGH  OF  CHRIST.  203 

ed,  the  name  of  it  is,  The  Lord  is  there.  And  so  the 
whole  guiding  and  ordering  of  this  church  depends  vvhol? 
ly  on  God,  who  dwells  within  it.  For  God  will  not  dwell 
in  his  own  church;  and  sit  still,  whilst  others  that  arc 
without  it  shall  govern  it ;  but  the  government  of  the 
right  church  lies  on  his  shoulders,  who  is  Immaniiel,  God 
with  us,  and  in  us.  And  so  this  government  of  the  church, 
is  one  of  the  invisible  things  of  God  in  the  church : 
Christ,  who  fills  it,  governing  it  by  a  most  present  and 
powerful,  but  invisible  influence,  leading  it  into  truth, 
by  the  spirit  of  truth ;  into  patience,  by  the  spirit 
of  patience ;  into  love,  by  the  spirit  of  love ;  into 
power,  by  the  spirit  of  power ;  into  humility,  meekness, 
patience,  heavenly-mindedness,  and  into  the  fulness  of  all 
righteousness,  by  that  spirit  which  contains  all  these 
graces  in  itself,  and  works  them  in  all  those,  in  whom  it 
dwells.  In  this  government  we  hear  the  voice  behind  us, 
saying.  This  is  the  xvay,  -walk  in  it,  when  we  turn  either  to 
the  right  hand,  or  to  the  left.  In  this  government  wc  have 
not  outward  laws  to  order  us,  as  the  kingdoms  of  the 
world  have,  but  an  inward  law  written  in  our  hearts  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  :  as  God  hath  said,  Iivillrvrite  my  law  in 
their  hearts,  and  in  their  inward  parts  ;  and  this  law  is  the 
word  of  life  :  for  the  living  church  or  body  of  Christ,  can 
only  be  governed  by  a  living  word,  which  is  called,  the 
law  of  the  Spirit  of. life » 

And  according  to  this  government  also,  God  guides  th^ 
true  church  wonderfully,  the  soul  not  seeing  the  ways  and 
counsels  of  God,  whereby  he  forms  and  fashions  the 
church  according  to  his  ©wn  mind  and  good  pleasure, 
quite  contrary  to  human  reason  and  judgment ;  for  he 
brings  them  to  mourning,  to  bring  them  to  comfort ; 
brings  them  to  despair,  to  bring  them  to  faith ;  to  death, 
to  bring  them  to  life  ;  yea,  even  to  hell,  to  bring  them  to 
heaven :  leading  his  chosen  people  after  such  a  manner. 


204  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

that  nothing  would  follow  but  faith,  which  "  looks  not  at 
the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  not 
seen."  And  thus,  when  the  soul  is  in  the  midst  of  many- 
fears,  woes,  agonies,  temptations,  till  it  feel  in  good  ear- 
nest, the  true  sorrows  of  death,  and  pains  of  hell,  and  in 
this  darkness  sees  no  beam,  nor  the  least  glimmering  of 
light ;  and  wants  all  counsel,  and  knows  not  which  way  to 
turn  itself:  then  Christ  comes  and  manifests  himself  to 
the  soul,  and  counsels,  and  directs,  and  comforts  it ;  and 
leads  it  into  the  path  of  life,  and  redeems  it  from  all  dis- 
tress, subduing  the  world,  and  the  devil,  and  sin,  and 
death,  and  hell  under  it ;  yea,  and  carrying  it  into  all  the 
fulness  of  God. 

Now  these  two  sorts  of  governments,  to  wit,  the  one  of 
his  special  providence,  and  the  other  of  his  spiritual  pre- 
sence, the  true  church  never  wanted  in  any  age  :  And  in 
this  present  age,  when  the  prelatical  government  hath 
been  dissolved  for  several  years  together  ;  can  any  Christian 
think,  that  the  right  church  of  Christ  hath  been  without 
all  government  ?  Nay,  all  this  while  it  hath  been  govern- 
ed most  powerfully  by  his  special  providence,  and  most 
sweetly  by  his  spiritual  presence ;  So  that  neither '  the 
world  nor  the  devil  have  been  able  to  prevail  neither 
against  its  grace  nor  comforts  ;  And  for  an  outward,  for- 
mal, visible,  enforced  government,  after  the  nuinner  of 
civil  corporations,  or  worldly  kingdoms  ;  the  true  church 
can  as  well  want  such  a  government  at  all  times,  as  at  any 
time ;  yea,  and  it  is  best  v/ithout  it,  as  being  farthest  re- 
moved from  the  tyranny  of  men,  and  more  immediately 
under  the  government  of  Christ,  its  only  king  and  law- 
giver. 

And  therefore,  they  that  are  so  violent  for  an  outward 
and  visible  government  of  the  church,  after  the  manner  of 
the  kingdoms  of  the  world  :  I  do  heartily  wish,  that  if  it 
be  the  good  pleasure  of  God,  they  might  some  time  or 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  205 

other  be  exercised  with  temptations  of  despair,  and  with 
rhc  sense  of  the  wnith  of  God,  and  everlasting  burninj^s : 
]\)rby  this  means  thtir  idle  and  vain  thoughts  and  specu- 
kitions  of  governing  the  church  of  God  by  human  power 
and  methods,  would  soon  vanish  ;  and  they  would  soon 
uive  over  troubling  themselves,  and  the  faithful,  about 
things  that  have  neither  power  in  them  to  free  from  eternal 
I' death,  nor  to  procure  eternal  life. 

'  And  thus  much  for  that  two-fold  .government  of  the 
t  church,  which  God  himself  exercises  immediately  in  and 
I  over  it  :  whereof  we  must  not  be  ignorant,  if  we  desire  to 
'preserve  the  peace  of  the  church,  both  in  ourselves  and 
I  others. 

j  Now  besides  this  immediate  government  of  God,  there 
is  another  sort  of  government  of  thq  church,  which  Christ 
exercises  mediately  by  the  church  :  And  this  also  is  Christ's 
government,  and  not  man's  ;  and  men  who  have  not  known 
nor  understood  the  former  government  of  Christ,  have 
mistaken  this  also,  through  the  same  unbelief ;  wlierefore 
they,  not  so  much  as  minding  the  former  government  of 
Christ,  which  is  immediate,  and  by  himself,  have  made 
this  mediate  government  of  the  church  by  man,  to  be  all ; 
a'.id  this  also,  I  say,  they  have  understood  mo^  grossly  and 
carnally,  and  not  according  to  the  word,  but  according 
to  their  own  ignorant  and  seduced  hearts.  I  shall  not 
trouble  the  reader  with  their  particular  misapprehensions 
in  this  matter ;  seeing  it  is  far  more  profitable  to  content 
ourselves  with  the  plain  and  evident  truth,  than  to  inquire 
after  variety  of  errors.  Wherefore,  letting  alone  their 
darkness,  I  shall  only  endeavour  that  the  light  of  the  word 
may  shine  unto  us  in  this  matter,  that  herein  also  we  may 
be  taught  of  God,  if  it  be  the  will  of  God. 

This  mediate  government  then  of  Christ  in  the  true 
church,  I  conceive  to  be  nothing  but  this,  Christ's  order- 


206  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

ing  all  things  by  the  faithful,  among  the  faithful,  in  refer* 
ence  to  the  communion  of  saints. 

Now  because  many  Christians  desire  instruction  and  light 
in  this  matter,  I  shall  be  willing  to  hold  forth  to  them  that 
measure  of  knowledge  which  I  have  received  herein  ;  be- 
ing desirous  also  to  learn  myself  of  them  that  can  teach  me 
better  by  die  word.  And  that  1  may  proceed  the  more  dis- 
tinctly, I  shall  propound  several  things,  to  which  I  shall 
speak  in  order  ;  and  they  be  these  : 

1.  To  whom  Christ  hath  committed  the  power  of  or- 
dering and  managing  all  things  in  the  true  church,  in 
reference  to  the  communion  of  saints. 
2-  What  kind  of  power  this  is,  which  the  true  church 
hath. 

3.  What  is  the  extent  of  this  power. 

4.  What  is  the  outward  instrument  of  it, 

5.  What  the  true  church  can  do  by  virtue  of  it.     And 
this  comprehends  these  particulars. 

1.  It  can  gather  itself  together. 

2.  It  can  appoint  its  own  order. 

3.  It  can  choose  its  own  officers ;  and,  it  need  be,  reform 
them,  or  depose  them. 

4.  It  can  call  its  own  councils. 

5.  It  can  judge  of  all  doctrines,  both  of  its  officers  and 
councils. 

And  all  these  things  I  reckon  needful  for  the  true  church 
to  know,  for  the  preserving  among  themselves  that  peace 
and  unity  they  have  in  Christ. 
Tho  first  thing  then  is, 

1.  To  whom  Christ  hath  committed  the  power  of  order- 
ing and  managing  all  things  in  the  true  church,  in  re- 
ference to  the  communion  of  saints. 
I  answer  ;   He  hath  ffiven  it  to  the  true  church  itself, 
as  formerly  described,  even  to  each  and  all  the  members 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  207 

of  it :  for  as  natural  power  belongs  to  all  natural  men  alike, 
so  spiritual  power  (which  is  the  true  church  power)  to  all 
spiritual  men  alike.  Christ  in  a  believer  is  the  root  of 
true  church- power;  and  because  Christ  dwells  in  all  be- 
lievers alike,  through  unity  of  fluth :  therefore  all  be- 
lievers partake  alike  of  spiritual  and  supernatural  power ; 
and  no  one  partakes  of  this  power  more  than  another, 
any  more  than  he  partakes  of  Christ  more  tlian  another ; 
but  Christ  in  them  all  is  the  self-same  power#)f  God,  to 
do  all  things  that  are  to  be  done  in  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

And  according  to  this  sense,  that  place  in  Matt.  xvi.  19. 
is  to  be  understood;  where  Christ  saith  to  Peter ;  And  I 
■will  give  unto  thee  the  key^  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and 
whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earthy  shall  be  boundin  heaven; 
and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earthy  shall  be  loosed  in 
heaven.  The  pope  and  papal  church,  under  colour  of  this 
place,  have  made  great  merchandise,  and  have  exceeding- 
ly abused,  and  cheated  the  nations,  for  many  hundred  years 
together ;  but  the  light  of  the  gospel  hath  shined  forth, 
and  the  days  of  their  traffic  are  at  an  end  :  And  yet  since, 
others  have  been  trucking  with  the  world,  by  their  false 
interpretations  of  this  place,  and  have  thought  to  use  it  to 
their  great  advantage ;  but  the  day  hath  so  far  dawned  that 
their  shadows  also  are  fl}  ing  away. 

But  not  to  keep  you  longer  from  the  words  themselves  ; 
Peter  had  said  to  Christ,  Thou  art  Christ  the  Son  of  the  liv- 
ing God-  And  Christ  replied  to  Peter ^  Blessed artthou^  for 
flesh  and  blood  hat} I  not  revealed  it  to  thee,  but  my  Father^ 
which  is  in  heaven;  Siwd  then  adds,  unto  thee  will  I  give  the 
keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  ^c.  that  is,  not  to  Peter,  as 
an  apostle,  or  minister,  but  as  a  believer,  who  had  the  revela- 
tion of  the  Father,  touching  the  Son  :  and  so  also,  they 
are  given  equally  to  each  faithful  Christian,  who  hath  the 
same  revelation  with  Pettn\  as  also  to  the  whole  commu- 


208  THE  \\'AY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

nion  of  saints.  And  so,  these  keys  are  not  given  to  any 
particular  person  or  persons,  consisting  of  flesh  and  blood, 
or  employed  in  such  or  siich  an  ofiice  ;  but  that  man,  who- 
ever he  be,  that  hath  the  revelation  of  the  Father||^he  it  is 
to  whom  these  keys  are  given,  and  to  none  else  :  and  so 
they  are  given  to  each  believer  in  particular,  and  to  the 
whole  church  of  believers  in  general. 

But  what  are  these  keys,  about  which  there  hath  been  so 
great  ado  ill  the  church  ? 

I  answer  ;  They  are  not  any  outward  ecclesiastical  power 
whatever,  that  men  have  devised  to  serve  their  own  turns 
v\  ithal ;  but  to  pass  by  the  many  false  conceits,  wherewith 
many  former  and  present  writers  have,  and  do  still,  trouble 
the  church  ;  Jolm  doth  tell  us^lainly,  John  xx.  22.  what 
Matthew  means  by  the  keys  of  the  church.  Christ,  saith 
he,  appearing  to  his  disciples  after  his  resurrection,  breath- 
ing  on  them,  said.  Receive  the  Holy  Spirit,  [here  arethe  keys 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  j  and  then  adds.  Whose  sins  ye 
remit,  they  are  remitted;  andivhose  sins  ye  retain,  they  are 
retained;  that  is,  when  ye  have  received  the  Spirit,  then  you 
have  received  the  keys,  to  bind  and  loose,  to  remit  and 
'retain  sin ;  and  that  not  according  to  your  wills,  but 
wholly  according  to  the  nund,  and  will,  and  direction  of 
the  Spirit.  And  so  Christ,  before  his  ascension,  gave 
these  keys  truly  to  .his  disciples,  but  more  solemnly  and 
fully  at  the  day  of  pentecost ;  when  the  Spirit  was  given 
by  Christ  glorified  :  and  afterwards  tl  e  Gentiles,  who,  by 
the  preaching  of  Peter,  received  the  Spirit,  even  as  the  apos- 
tles did,  they  also  received  these  keys;  and  so  all  that  have  re- 
ceived the  Spirit,  have  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  equally 
com  milted  to  them,  and  the  power  of  binding  and  loosing 
by  the  ministration  of  the  Spicit.  And  so  these  keys  ap- 
pertain, not  only  to  greater  congregations  of  Christians,  but 
to  the,  very  least  communion  of  saints  ;  as  Christ  hath  pro- 
mised, IVherc  two  or  threeare  met  together  imny  name,  there 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  209 

am  I  present  in  the  midst  of  them  :  Where  we  see,  that 
two  or  three  gathered  together  in  Clirist's  name,  have  as 
much  power  as  Peter,  and  all  the  apostles  ;  because  Christ 
is  equally  present  with  these,  as  with  those.  Again, 
Christ  hath  commanded,  that  if  the  offending  brother  will 
not  hear  the  admonition  of  two  or  three  other  brethren,  the 
offended  brother  should  tell  the  church, '^l^Xt.s.y'm.  17.  Now 
the  ciuirch  is  not  the  officers,  but  the  congregation  of  the 
iaithful ;  seeing  men  are  not  of  the  church  through  any  of- 
fice, but  only  through  faith.  And  by  all  these  things  it  is 
evident,  that  the  power  of  church-government,  that  is,  the 
power  of  acting  and  ordering  all  things  among  the  faith- 
ful, belongs  to  every  faithful  man  alike,  in  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  faithful. 

2.  AV  hat  kind  of  power  this  is,  which  the  true  church 
hath. 

I  answer  in  general,  that  it  is  a  power  suitable  to  the 
church  or  kingdom  whereof  it  is  the  power  :  now  as  the 
church  we  speak  of,  is  that  church  which  is  born  of  God 
and  of  the  Spirit,  and  so  is  not  at  all  of  this  world  ;  so  the 
power  that  is  agreeable  to  this  church,  is  the  power  of 
God  and  his  Spirit,  and  not  at  all  of  this  world  ;  that  is, 
it  is  not  any  civil  or  secular  power ;  I  may  add  nor  any 
ecclesiastical  power  (according  to  the  common  under- 
standing it)  that  hath  any  place  in  the  true  church  ;  but 
merely  a  spiritual  and  heavenly  power,  without  any  con- 
junction or  mixture  of  the  other  ;  seeing  Christ's  power  is 
perfect,  and  every  way  sufficient  for  his  own  kingdom, 
and  Christ's  kingdom  is  God's  kingdom  as  well  as  the 
Father's  :  and  so  men  may  as  well  carry  worldly  and  secu- 
lar po^ver  into  the  Father's  kingdom,  as  into  the  Son's,  see- 
ing this  is  no  other  than  the  kingdom  of  God,  though  it 
be  among  men  ;  and  no  other  than  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
though  it  be  upon  earth  ;  which  hath  not  been  understood 

D  d 


210  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

nor  considered  by  them  who  have  been  so  busy  to  brin^ 
secular  power  into  a  spiritual  kingdom,  as  if  Christ's  own 
power,  in  his  own  kingdom,  were  either  weak  or  imper- 
fect. 

More  particularly,  this  true  power  of  the  true  church, 
is,  as  I  said,  Christ's  power  in  the  faithful,  which  is  the 
self-same  with  Christ's  power  in  himself;  and  so, 

1.  It  is  not  a  power  of  violence,  but  a  power  of  influ- 
ence, even  sMch  a  power  as  the  head  hath  over  the 
members,  and  the  soul  over  the  body ;  it  is  not  a  co- 
ercive, but  a  persuasive  power  ;  a  power  that  makes 
men  willing  that  are  not  willing,  and  doth  not  force 
the  unwilling  against  their  wills. 
:2.  This  power  is  humble,  and  not  proud,  as  worldl)^ 
power  is  ;  for  the  power  of  the  world  sets  men  over 
others  ;  but  the  power  of  the  church  sets  men  under 
others  ;  /,  saith  Christ  of  himself,  am  among  you  as 
one  that  serves  :  and  again,  He  that  will  be  ike  chief 
among  you^  let  him  he  the  servant  of  all. 

3.  This  power  is/or  edification^  and  not  for  destruction  ; 
2  Cor.  X.  8.  as  Po«/ acknowledges,  again  and  again, 
that  the  power  the  Lord  gave  him^  was  this,  and  no 
other  power,  2  Cor.  xiii.  10.  namely,  not  to  cast  men 
out  of  their  native  kingdoms^  hut  to  translate  them  int» 
God^s  kingdovi  ;  not  to  take  away  their  outward  liber- 
ties or  estates,  but  to  bring  them  into  the  liberty  and 
inheritance  of  the  saints  :  to  bring  men  to  eternal 
life,  and  not  to  destroy  men  by  temporal  death. 

4.  This  power  seeks  the  good  of  others  more  than  its 
own,  yea,  the  good  of  others  with  the  neglect  of  its 
own  :  So  Moses  was  not  busy  to  have  a  most  rebel- 
lious people  hlotted  out  of  the  hook  of  life,  but  rather 
desired  his  own  name  might  be  hlotted  out  of  that  hooky 
that  (if  it  had  been  the  will  of  God)  theirs  might 
have  been  written  in.     And  Paul  desii*ed  that  himself 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  211 

might  be  separated  from  Christ,  that  his  brethren 
and  kinsmen,  after  the  flesh,  miglit  have  been  united 
to  him.  And  if  this  power  seek  the  good  of  others 
after  this  high  rate,  even  to  the  neglecting,  as  it 
were,  and  laying  aside  their  own  eternal  good,  how 
much  more  to  the  neglecting  and  laying  aside  their 
temporal  good,  their  worldly  profits,  advantages  and 
dignities  ? 

5.  This  power  doth  not  make  others  suffer,  to  enlarge 
the  church,  but  suffers  itself  to  bring  this  about ; 
So  Christ,  as  JFickliff  saith,  "  through  his  poverty, 
humility,  and  suffering  injury  and  death,  got  unto 
him  the  children  of  his  kingdom,  and  not  by  force  ;" 
and  the  Martyrs  enlarged  the  church  of  Christ  by 
dying  themselves,  and  not  by  causing  others  to  die  ; 
"  the  blood  of  the  Martyrs,  being  the  seed  of  the 
church." 

6.  This  power  only  acts  to  a  spiritual  end,  salvation, 
and  only  according  to  spiritual  laws  ;  but  not  to  any 
temporal  and  worldly  ends,  according  to  civil  and  hu- 
man laws. 

And  thus  you  see  that  this  true  church  power,  for  the 
nature  and  quality  of  it,  both  in  general,  and  in  particular, 
differs  very  much,  both  from  the  apprehensions  and  prac- 
tice of  the  most  of  our  ecclesiastical  men. 

3.  What  is  the  extent  of  this  true  church-power  ? 

I  answer  ;  That  this  power  extends  itself  full  as  far  as 
the  church,  but  no  farther  ?  For  what  hath  the  church  to 
do  with  those  that^are  not  of  the  church  ?  JVhat  have  we  to 
cfo,  saith  Paul,  with  them  that  are  without?  For  church-pow- 
er, which  is  spiritual,  is  no  more  suitable  to  the  world,  than 
worldly  power,  which  is  fleshly,  is  suitable  to  the  church. 
The  power  of  the  church,  which  is  Christ's  power,  only 
reaches  so  far  as  Christ's  kingdom ;  that  is,  the  people 
that  are  born  of  God   and  his  Spirtt.     True  church  go- 


212  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

vernment  reaches  as  far  as  Christ's  and  the  Spirit's  eft'ec- 
tual  influence  and  operation,  but  no  farther  ;  that  is,  to 
all  that  are  willing,  but  to  none  that  are  un^villing.  As 
nothing  hath  more  troubled  the  church,  than  to  govern 
it,  and  to  give  it  laws  after  the  manner  of  the  world,  by 
secular  force  and  power  ;  so  nothing  hath  more  troubled 
the  'world,  than  to  govern  it,  and  give  it  laws,  after  the 
manner  of  the  church,  by  the  aforesaid  compulsion. 
Wherefore,  as  the  government  of  the  world  is  not  to  be 
spread  over  the  church  ;  so  neither  is  the  government  of 
the  church  to  be  spread  over  the  world  :  but  as  the  world 
and  the  church  are  distinct  things,  in  themselves,  so  they 
are  to  be  contented  with  their  distinct  governments. 

4.  What  is  the  outward  instrument  of  this  power  ? 
I  answer  ;  The  word  only,  which  is  the  only  sceptre  and 
sword  of  Christ's  kingdom,  to  govern  his  people,  and 
subdue  his  enemies.  Christ  himself,  the  head  of  the 
church,  used  no  other  instrument  to  govern  his  people  by, 
but  the  word,  or  the  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom, 
and  declaring  what  he  had  heard  from  his  Father  ;  and  at 
his  departure  out  of  the  world,  he  told  them,  that  as  Ins 
Father  had  sent  him,  so  did  he  sendthem^  and  no  otherwise  ; 
that  is,  to  do  all  in  the  church  by  the  power  of  the  word, 
and  nothing  by  the  power  of  the  world.  And  so,  the  true 
church  doth  all  in  itself  only  by  the  gospel;  by  the  gospel 
it  bindeth  and  looseth  ;  by  the  gospel  it  remits  and  retains 
sin  ;  by  the  gospel  it  quickens  to  life,  and  wounds  to 
death ;  by  the  gospel  it  receives  in,  and  casts  out  ;  by  the 
gospel  it  works  faith,  renews  the  life,  acts,  orders,  guides, 
and  governs  all  things  ;  and  that  church  that  hath  another 
sceptre  and  sword  besides  the  word,  that  hath  orders  and 
constitutions  of  men  to  govern  by,  and  plurality  of  votes 
in  classical,  provincial  and  national  assemblies,  to  bind  and 
loose  by  ;  that  have  their  own  laws  and  orders  to  be  their 
::i';eptre,  and  the  authority  of  the  magistrate  to  be  their 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  213 

sword  in  their  kingdom  ;  I  say,  if  these  be  the  ways  and 
instruments  of  their  governments,  assuredly  the  church 
they  boast  of  is  another  church  than  Christ's,  and  is  no 
other  in  very  deed,  but  a  kingdom  of  sin,  and  darkness, 
and  death ;  and  when  its  form  of  godliness,  which  it  hath 
put  on  to  deceive,  shall  after  a  few  years  vanish  away,  it 
shall  return  into  the  shape  of  its  first  beginning. 

And  therefore  let  us  know,  whatever  rules,  orders,  or 
luiman  inventions,  men  do  study  and  devise  to  govern  their 
churches  by,  the  true  church  of  Christ  shall  ever  be  known 
by  the  sceptre  and  sword  of  the  only  gospel  preached  in 
it,  which  is  fully  sufficient  for  the  regiment  of  the  church; 
else  Christ  were  an  imperfect  lawgiver:  And  all  those  that 
do  affirm,  that  the  votes,  determinations,  rules,  and  consti- 
tutions of  councils,  are  better  for  the  well  ordering  and  go- 
verning the  church,  than  the  pure  and  naked  word  of  the 
gospel  by  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  in  my  judgment 
they  speak  blasphemously. 

Let  us  now  hear  what  Luther  saith  to  this  purpose  ; 
"  Christians,  saith  he,  [m)  ought  to  be  governed  by  that 
word,  and  no  other,  whereby  they  are  made  Christians, 
that  is,  free  from  sin  ;  and  this  is  only  by  the  pure  gos- 
pel of  God,  v/ithout  the  addition  of  council,  doctors,  fa- 
thers." For  what  is  it  to  govern  Christians  by  that  word, 
which  though  they  keep,  yet  neither  do  they  become 
Christians,  nor  continue  such  ?  nay,  they  cease  to  be  Chris- 
tians, and  lose  Christ.  And  of  this  sort  is  every  word 
besides  the  gospel :  and  salvation  reigns  in  us,  not  by  the 
laws  of  men,  but  by  the  power  of  Christ.  Farther,  they 
that  are  not  Christians,  are  to  be  restrained  other  ways  than 
by  the  traditions  of  men  ;  for  these  are  to  be  let  alone  ;  and 

(7u)  Chrlstiani  eo  verbp,  &  nonalio  regi  debent.  quo  Christian!,  id 
est,  liberi  a  peccatis  fiunt;  hoc  est,  solo  Evangelio  Dei  puro,  sine  ad- 
ditionibus  Conciliorum,  Doctorum,  Patrum,  &c.  Luther  Ejn-*.  ad 
Carol.  Ducen  Subaudloey  tom,  7./.  4^5 


214  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

as  Paul  saith,  We  are  not  to  mingle  with  them.  There  is 
the  secular  sword,  there  is  the  magistrate  for  these,  and  it 
belongs  to  him  to  restrain  those  that  are  evil,*  from  evil 
deeds,  by  the  power  of  the  sword.  But  the  bishop  or 
overseer,  governs  Christians  without  the  sword,  only  by  the 
\vord  of  God  ;  seeing  it  is  certain,  they  are  not  Christians, 
except  they  be  spontaneously  good ;  and  such  they  are 
made  by  the  force  of  the  spirit  of  faith,  as  Paul  saith : 
Ro77i.  viii.  As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are 
the  children  of  God.  What  madness  then  is  it  to  urge  them 
that  are  willingly  good,  with  the  laws  of  the  evil  ?  And 
yet,  saith  he,  There  are  not  a  few  light  and  vain  men,  that 
think  that  the  business  of  the  gospel  is  to  be  promoted  with 
weapons  and  cuffs. 

And  the  same  Luther,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Christians, 
and  preachers  of  Erphurd,  said,  *'  Consider  in  your  mind, 
with  what  sword  I  subdued  the  papacy,  and  the  whole 
state  of  religious  men,  who  before  were  dreadful  to  all ; 
of  whom  it  was  said,  fVho  shall  fight  with  the  beast,  that 
hath  pozuer  to?nake  war  with  the  saints, and  toovercome  them? 
And  yet,  saith  he,  I  never  touched  them  with  so  much  as 
one  of  my  fingers ;  but  Christ  destroyed  and  overthrew 
all  that  detestable  kingdom,  by  discovering  their  iniqui- 
ties, by  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  that  is,  by  the  word  of  the 
gospel." 

In  which  passages  of  his  (besides  what  is  spoken  before) 
it  is  apparent,  that  there  is  no  other  instrument  of  the  true 
church's  power,  but  the  word  of  the  gospel,  which  is  the 
only  sceptre  and  sword  of  Christ's  kingdom. 

5.  What  the  true  church  can  do  by  virtue  of  this  power? 

Now  the  true  church,  by  the  power  it  hath  received  from 
Christ,  can, 

1.  Gather  itself  together,  when,  and  as  often  as  it  pleas- 
eth.  The  company  of  believers  have  power  to  gather 
themselves  together  for  their  mutual  good,   instruction, 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  215 

preservation,  edification,  and  for  the  avoiding  or  prevent- 
ing of  evil ;  and  that  without  the  consent  or  authority  of 
any  extrinsical  and  foreign  power  whatever;  else  Christ 
were  not  a  sufficient  founder  of  his  church. 

And  if  every  free  society,  not  subjected  to  tyranny, 
hath  power  in  itself  to  congregate  and  come  together,  as 
conveniency  and  necessity  shall  require  :  as  is  evident  in 
all  civil  corporations,  and  in  all  fraternities  and  meetings 
of  love  J  much  more  hath  the  church  of  Christ,  which  is 
the  freest  society  in  the  world,  power  to  meet  together  into 
a  communion  of  saints,  though  it  be  without  and  against 
the  consent  and  authority  of  the  powers  of  the  world. 

And  thus  the  disciples,  immediately  after  Christ's  resur- 
rection, though  the  people  and  the  rulers  were  wholly  set 
against  them,  did  often  meet  together  among  themselves, 
though  privately  ;  and  Christ  himself  came  and  stood  in 
the  midst  of  them,  and  finding  them  in  that  way  of  com- 
munion, said.  Peace  be  unto  them:  And  so,  by  his  own  pre- 
sence, did  both  justify  and  encourage  such  meetings.  And 
after,  the  apostles,  with  other  believers,  to  the  number  of 
an  himdred  and  twenty,  met  together  in  an  upper  roonn 
to  pray,  and  to  choose  an  apostle  in  the  stead  of  Judas  : 
Acts  i.  And  at  the  day  of  Pentecost  they  all  met  again  : 
Acts  ii.  'Though  the  elders  of  the  church,  and  rulers  of  the 
state,  w^ere  utterly  against  their  meetings.  Kwd  again, 
Acts  iv.  Peter  and  John^  after  the  threatenings  of  the  ru- 
lers and  Jews,  went  and  met  with  their  own  company, 
which  was  now  mightily  increased  by  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel,  and  declared  to  them  all  things  that  God  had 
done  by  them,  and  the  rulers  had  done  against  them ; 
whereupon  all  of  them  joined  together  in  the  praise  of 
God,  for  the  success  of  the  gospel,  against  the  power  of 
the  world.  And  again,  Acts  vi.  the  church  of  its  own 
accord,  met  together,  to  choose  seven  deacons  ;  and  a  mul- 


216  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

titude  of  other  instances  might  be  produced.  By  all  which 
it  appears  that  the  church  of  believers   hath   power   of 
itself  to  appoint  its  own  meetings,  as  conveniency  or  ne- 
cessity shall  require  for  the  good  of  the  church.    And 
therefore  none  are  to  presume  to  deny  the  church  this 
power,  which  it  hath  received  from  him,  that  hath   all 
power  in  heaven  and  in  earth  :  Neither  ought  the   true 
church  to  suffer  ihfs  powet  tc  be  taken  from  them,  which 
they  have  received  from  so  good  a  hand  ;  but  still  to  use 
their  own  Christian  meetings,  thougli  the  powers  of  the 
world  never  so  much  oppose  them ;  as  the  apostles  and  be- 
lievers in  their  time  began,  and  as  believers  after,  for  SCO 
years  continued,  notwithstanding  the  barbarous  cruelties 
of  the  persecuting  emperors. 

2.  As  the  church  of  the  faithful  hath  power  from 
Christ  to  meet  together ;  so  secondly,  to  appoint  its  own 
outward  orders  :  For  the  church,  whilst  it  dwells  in  flesh 
and  blood,  uses  some  external  rites,  by  which  it  is  neither 
sanctified  in  soul  or  body  ;  but  they  are  things  merely 
of  outward  order  and  decency  :  And  these  things  each 
church  or  communion  of  saints  may  order  by  itself,  ac- 
cording to  the  wisdom  of  the  Spirit ;  so  it  observes  these 
rules. 

1.  That  they  do  all  things  in  love,  seeing  all  laws 
without  love  are  tyranny  ;  and  so,  whatsoever  is  not 
from  and  for  love,  is  not  to  be  appointed ;  and  if  it 
be,  it  is  again  to  be  abolished  ;  seeing  no  text  of  the 
scripture  itself,  if  it  build  not  up  love,  is  rightly  in- 
terpreted. 

2.  They  are  to  do  all  things  for  peace,  and  all  out- 
ward orders  in  the  church  must  be  to  procure,  and 
to  preserve  peace  among  the  faithful,  and  not  to 
break  it.  They  are  most  unhappy  and  pernicious 
orders,  that  do  not  only  offend  a  few  of  Christ's  lit- 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  217 

tie  ones,  (which  itself  is  a  sad  thin^)  but  do  grieve, 
disquiet  and  prejudice  the  peace  of  the  generality  of 
the  faithful. 
o.  They  must  do  all  things  after  the  wisdom  of  the 
Spirit,  and  not  after  the  manner  of  the  world  :  seeing 
the  church  ,;;)  is  not  to  be  ordered  according  to  the 
manner  of  the  world,  but  rather  against  it ;  as  the 
apobtle  saith,  Be  ?jot  conformed  to  t/ns  zvorkl. 

4.  Tliey  must  appoint  nothing  as  of  necessity  ;  For 
there  is  no  more  pestilent  doctrine  in  the  church,  than 
to  make  those  thnigs  necessary  which  are  not  neces- 
sary :  For  thus  the  liberty  of  faith  is  extinguished, 
and  the  consciences  of  men  are  ensnared.  We  doubt 
not  but  believers  may  order  any  outward  things  for 
their  own  good,  so  they  do  not  impose  them  neces- 
sarily on  any  ;  as  if  the  observing  of  them  were  righ- 
teousness, and  the  omission  of  them  sin.  And  so  the 
church,  after  all  its  orders,  is  to  leave  indifferent 
things  as  it  found  them  ;  that  is,  free,  and  at  the 
liberty  of  the  faithful,  to  observe  or  not  observe,  as 
they  shall  see  cause,  or  judge  convenient.  For  all 
these  kind  of  things  are  indifferent  in  their  own  na- 
ture ;  and  God  regards  no  more  the  manner,  and 
form,  and  time,  and  circumstances  of  spiritual  duties, 
than  the  manner,  and  form,  8vC.  of  our  eating,  and 
drinking,  and  working,  and  marrying,  and  trading  ; 
for  all  which,  it  is  sufficient,  if  they  be  done  in  Chris- 
tian wisdom  and  discretion,  without  being  tied  neces- 
sarily to  a  set  and  unchangeable  form. 

5.  They  may  persuade  their  orders  (if  they  see  cause) 
by  tiie   spirit  of  love  and  meekness,  but  must  not 

(n)  Nunquam  ecclesia  per  muiiclum  ^ubei  nantla  est,  et  non  potiu^ 
contra  morem  mundi,  eo  quod  scriptum  est,  nolite  confoimari  hiiic 
seculo  ?  Jo.  Gers.  Decl.  llror.  Ecclesinst. 

Ee 


J18  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

enforce  them  upon  pain  of  secular  punishment,  or 
church  censure ;  as  those  use  to  do,  that  make  them- 
selves lords  and  tyrants  in  the  church.  For  these 
outward  things  the  church  can  order,  only  for  the 
willing,  but  not  for  the  unwilling.  And  so,  if  some 
believers  shall  think  good,  upon  just  grounds,  to  do 
otherwise  in  these  outward  things,  than  the  generality 
of  the  church,  yet  ought  the  church  to  be  so  far  from 
censuring  them,  that  it  is  to  entertain  communion 
with  them,  notwithstanding  any  such  differences.  For 
when  Christians  are  knit  to  Christ,  by  faith,  and  do 
receive  and  walk  in  his  Spirit,  all  other  things  are  in- 
different to  them,  to  do  or  not  to  do,  to  use,  or  not  to 
use,  at  their  own  freedom.  And  Christ  only,  being 
sufficient  for  all  his  ;  whatever  is  besides  Christ,  is  a 
perishing  thing  ;  and  so  is  so  far  from  being  to  be  im- 
posed, that  in  itself  it  is  not  to  be  valued. 
Now  if  the  church  do  appoint  any  outward  orders,  these 
rules  it  is  to  observe ;  yea,  the  spiritual  church  doth  al- 
vvays  observe  them,  and  never  made  rules  in  itself,  upon 
other  terms  than  are  here  set  down. 

But  on  the  contrary,  the  carnal  church,  or  churches  of 
men,  they  especially  trouble  themselves  about  these  out- 
ward things ;  and  of  these  they  make  laws,  and  constitu- 
tions, yea,  sin  and  righteousness  ;  and  by  these  things  they 
judge  the  church,  and  the  members  of  Christ :  In  such 
sort,  that  they  that  will  submit  to  their  rules  and  impo- 
sitions, shall  be  the  church  of  Christ ;  but  they  that  will 
not,  shall  be  reckoned  heretics  and  schismatics.  And 
hereby  they  declare,  that  they  are  fallen  from  the  power  of 
godliness,  to  the  form,  and  from  the  substance  of  religion, 
to  the  circumstances ;  inasmuch  as  they  advance  empty 
forms  and  shadows,  in  the  place  of  "  righteousness,  and 
peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Spirit."   And  to  these  we  may 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  219 

say,  with  Peter,  Why  tempt  ye  God,  in  putting  such  a  yoke 
upon  the  disciples  and  members  of  Christ  ? 

And  though  this  kind  of  church  will,  with  these  things, 
still  be  troubling  us,  and  "  biting  us  by  the  heel,"  yet  in 
the  power  and  prerogative  of  the  seed  of  the  woman,  we 
will,  by  degrees,  "  bruise  its  head,"  till  at  last  we  break  it 
quite  in  pieces. 

Now  one  thing  more,  I  shall  add,  touching  the  church's 
power  to  appoint  its  own  orders,  as  conceiving  it  very  ne- 
cessary to  be  known  ;  and  that  is  this  : 

That  the  true  church  hath  power  to  appoint  these  out- 
ward orders,  not  for  itself  only,  but  also  for  its  officers 
(which  also  are  part  of  itself)  and  it  is  not  to  suffer  its  of- 
ficers to  frame  or  impose  such  on  it.  For  the  church  is 
not  the  officers,  but  the  officers  are  the  church's  ;  as  Paul 
has  taught  us,  saying  to  the  church,  ^/i  things  are  yours^ 
whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas.  And  so  the  officers 
are  the  church's,  and  are  to  be  ordered  by  it  in  these  things, 
but  are  not  to  order  it.  And  if  the  officers  of  the  church, 
forgetting  that  they  are  servants,  shall  presume,  by  them- 
selves, to  order  outward  things  for  the  church,  without  the 
church,  as  now  is  done ;  the  church  still  remains  above 
the  officers,  and  hath  power  to  interpret,  change,  or  whol- 
ly take  away  all  those  things,  as  it  sees  occasion  :  to  wit, 
so  far  as  they  are  a  stumbling  block  to  the  weak,  and  a 
grief  to  the  strong,  and  tend  to  work  division  among  the 
faithful.  Presumptuous  officers  are  they,  and  know  not 
where  Christ  hath  set  them,  who,  instead  of  being  ordered 
by  the  church,  go  about  to  order  it,  and  make  themselves 
the  lords  of  the  church,  being  but  the  servants  of  it. 

3.  The  true  church  hath  power  to  choose  its  officers^  and 
ij" there  be  cause,  to  reform  them,  or  depose  them. 

The  church  hath  power  to  choose  its  own  officers.  True 
indeed  it  is,  that  as  in  the  natural,  so  in  the  spiritual  body, 


220  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c, 

every  member  is  in  office  ;  and  that  the  ministry  of  the 
New  Testament,  being  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  is 
common  to  all  that  have  received  the  Spirit.  Wherefore, 
if  every  believer  hath  received  the  Spirit  to  profit  withal, 
and  hath  power  and  privilege,  as  opportunity  serves,  and 
necessity  requires,  to  speak  the  word,  that  the  power  and 
virtue  of  Christ  may  be  declared  through  them  all  :  there 
is  no  doubt,  but  any  community  of  Christians  may,  by  a 
common  consent,  choose  one  or  more  to  speak  to  all,  in  the 
name  of  all.  Agreeable  to  this  is  that  of  Paul:  2  Tim.  ii.  2. 
where  he  commands  That  the  office  of  teaching  be  commit- 
ted to  faithful  men,  who  are  able  to  teach  others.  Where  the 
apostle,  contemning  all  superfluous  ceremonies  and  pomp 
of  ordaining,  only  seeks,  that  the  ministers  may  be  fit  and 
able  to  teach,  and  without  any  more  ado,  commits  the  min- 
istry of  the  word  unto  them. 

More  particularly,  in  this  matter,  we  shall  inquire  after 
these  three  things. 

1.  W^hat  officers  are  to  be  chosen. 

2.  Out  of  whom  they  are  to  be  chosen.     And, 

3.  By  whom  they  are  to  be  chosen. 

For  the  first,  What  officers  are  to  be  chosen.  Paul 
teaches  us  this,  saying,  They  must  be  faithful  men,  apt  and 
able  to  teach  others.  For  as  among  natural  men  in  the 
world,  they  that  have  most  natural  power  and  abilities 
are  fittest  to  be  the  officers :  so  among  spiritual  men  in  the 
church,  they  are  fittest  to  be  the  officers  that  have  most 
spiritual  power,  that  is,  such  in  whom  Christ  and  tlie 
Spirit  are  most  manifest ;  and  of  this,  the  fiiithful  of  a!l 
sorts  are  judges.  Wherefore,  no  natural  parts  and  abili- 
ties ;  nor  human  learning  and  degrees  in  the  schools 
or  universities,  nor  ecclesiastical  ordination  or  orders, 
are  to  be  reckoned  sufficient  to  make  any  man  a  minister, 
but  only  the  teaching  ot  God,  and  gifts  received  of  Christ, 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  221 

bv  the  Spirit,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  which  the  faith- 
ful are  able  to  discern  and  judj^e  of. 

2.  Oat  of  whom  these  officers  are  to  be  chosen.  And 
that  is,  out  of  the  flock  of  Christ,  and  no  where  else.  In- 
deed antichrist,  bringing  in  human  learning  instead  of  the 
Spirit,  chose  his  ministers  only  out  of  the  universities  : 
but  the  riglit  church  chooses  them  out  of  the  faithful ; 
seeing  it  reckons  no  man  learned,  and  so  fit  to  speak  in 
the  church,  but  he  that  hath  heard  and  learned  from  the 
Father.  Moreover  it  is  plain,  that  as  natural  power  is 
founded  on  a  natural  gift,  and  he  must  needs  be  a  man, 
that  is  capable  of  human  power  ;  so  supernatural  power  is 
founded  on  a  supernatural  gift,  and  he  must  needs  be  a 
believer,  that  is  capable  of  this  spiritual  power  :  And  so  a 
man  must  needs  first  be  of  the  church,  ere  he  can  have 
any  power  or  office  in  it.  Wherefore,  all  unbelievers  and 
carnal  men  are  so  far  from  having  any  power  in  the  true 
church,  that  they  ha^'e  no  place  in  it ;  and  are  so  far  from 
being  officers,  that  they  are  not  members:  For  they  tliat  nei- 
ther have,  nor  know  spiritual  power  themselves,  how  can 
thev  exercise  it  amon^  others  ? 

3.  By  whom  they  are  to  be  chosen.  And  that  is,  by  the 
congregation,  or  community  of  believers  ;  For,  if  every 
free  society  hath  power  to  choose  its  own  officers,  much 
more  hath  the  true  church  this  power ;  being  (as  is  said) 
the  freest  society  under  heaven.  And  so  the  true  church 
is  not  to  have  officers  thrust  over  them  by  others,  but  is  to 
choose  them  itself. 

Object.  If  any  object  against  this,  that  Paul  command- 
ed Timothy  and  Titiis^  to  appoint  elders;  and  that  Paul a.nd 
Barnabas,  Acts  xiv.  23.  did  choose  elders  in  every  church 
■with  prayer  and  fasting.  And  therefore  it  may  seem,  that 
the  congregation  hath  not  power  to  choose  its  own  minis- 
ters, but  that  some  chief  ministers  must  appoint  other  mi- 
nisters in  each  congregation. 


222  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

Answ.  To  this  I  answer :  That  if  there  were  any  minis- 
ters  among  us,  that  did  hold  the  place  of  the  apostles, 
living  and  acting  evidently  in  the  virtues  of  Christ,  and  in 
the  knowledge  and  power  of  the  Spirit,  1  would  not  doubt 
to  allow  them  as  much  authority  in  ordaining  ministers, 
as  Paul  and  Barnabas,  or  any  of  the  other  apostles  had : 
But  since  it  is  very  evident,  that  very  few  of  these  have 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  upon  them;  how  should  they  have  au- 
thority to  appoint  ministers,  who  cannot  themselves  be 
reckoned  believers,  or  spiritual  ? 

But  secondly,  if  they  were  true  ministers,  through  the 
anointing  of  the  Spirit,  yet  could  they  not  appoint  minis- 
ters in  other  congregations,  without  their  own  consent  and 
approbation  :  bu*"  those  whom  the  whole  church  chooses, 
they  are  to  commend  to  God  by  prayer ;  and  if  they  should 
refuse  to  do  this,  yet  he  who  is  chosen  by  the  church  is 
sufficiently  its  minister,  through  the  church's  choice  alone. 
Neither  did  Paul,  or  Barnabas,  or  Timothy,  or  Titus,  ap- 
point any  minister  by  their  own  single  authority,  without 
the  consent  of  the  church  ;  as  may  appear  by  those  scrip- 
tures, 1  Tim.  iii.  and  Titus  i.  where  Paul  saith.  The  over- 
seers or  elders,  as  also  the  deacons  or  ministers,  should  be 
blameless  and  unreproveable.  Now  neither  Timothy  nor 
Titus  knew  of  themselves  who  were  blameless  in  those 
places,  but  only  received  the  testimony  of  the  church,  who 
chose  them  to  that  office. 

Further  we  see.  Acts  vi.  that  the  twelve  apostles  together, 
did  not  by  themselves,  appoint  any  to  a  lower  office,  to  wit, 
to  be  deacons,  without  the  church's  own  choice  of  them  : 
But  say  the  twelve  to  the  multitude  of  the  disciples.  Look 
ye  out  among  yourselves,  seven  men  of  honest  report,  full  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  atid wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint  over  this 
business.  And  those  whom  the  church  chose  the  apostles 
confirmed.  Wherefore,  if  it  were  not  lawful  for  the  apos- 
tles,  at  their  own  pleasure,  to  appoint  men  to  minister 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  223 

so  much  as  alms  to  the  necessities  of  the  poor,  without  the 
choice  and  consent  of  the  church  ;  much  less  was  it  lawful 
for  them  to  appoint  any  among  believers,  to  the  hard  and 
difficult  work  of  the  ministry,  without  their  own  choice 
and  approbation.  By  all  which  it  is  clear,  that  the  congre- 
gation of  the  faithful  have  power  in  themselves,  accord- 
ing to  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  to  choose  their  own  min- 
isters. 

And  therefore,  seeing  the  true  church  of  God  cannot 
possibly  be  without  the  word,  seeing  it  is  born,  and  nou- 
rished, and  increased,  and  strengthened,  and  preserved, 
and  comforted,  and  perfected  by  it :  And  seeing  the  gene- 
rality of  the  clergy  of  these  times  are  ignorant  of  the  mys- 
tery of  the  gospel,  and  destitute  of  the  Spirit ;  it  must  come 
to  pass,  that  either  the  church  must  perish  for  want  of  the 
word,  or  else  (according  to  what  we  have  heard)  be- 
lievers must  meet  together,  as  they  can  conveniently, 
up  and  down  the  kingdom  ;  and  at  such  meetings,  must 
choose  one  or  more  fit  persons  from  among  themselves, 
to  be  their  elders  in  the  Lord  ;  and  then,  by  prayer,  to 
ccmmend  them  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  so  to  ac- 
knowledge them  for  their  Pastors.  And  there  is  no  doubt 
but  what  believers,  met  together  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
do  in  this  matter,  it  is  done  through  the  working  and 
approving  of  God  himself.  And  besides  this  way,  1  see 
no  other,  how  (in  this  great  defection  of  the  clergy)  the 
church  may  have  the  true  word  of  God  restored  to  their 
meetings  and  assemblies  again.  Now  this  thing  that  is  so 
directly  cross  to  the  way  and  working  of  antichrist, 
for  many  ages  together,  and  is  so  opposite  to  fathers, 
schoolmen,  councils,  doctors,  antiquity,  custom,  and  the 
general  practice  of  the  kingdom,  cannot  be  hoped  to  be 
accomplished  at  once,  but  by  degrees,  as  the  lightnings  of 
the    gospel    shall  enlighten  the    world,    and    the    Spirit 


224     .  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

shall  be  poured  forth.  And  therefore  in  this  matter,  let 
some  begin,  and  the  rest  follow,  as  this  practice  shall  be 
cleared  up  to  them  from  the  scriptures.  For  none  are  to 
be  forced  in  this  matter,  (if  authority  should  entertain  this 
truth)  but  the  Spirit  is  to  be  allowed  its  own  liberty,  to 
blow,  when  and  where,  and  on  whom  he  listeth.  Nei- 
ther ought  this  to  trouble  any,  if  all  do  not  presently  agree 
with  them  ;  it  is  sufficient,  if  at  first  a  few  begin,  whom 
others  may  follow  afterwards,  as  God  shall  persuade 
them. 

Now  as  the  church  hath  power  to  choose  its  officers  :  so 
if  they  prove  evil,  it  hath  power,  either, 

1.  To  reform  them.     Or, 

2.  To  depose  them. 

1.  It  hath  power  to  reform  them,  if  so  be  that  they 
may  be  brought  to  repentance  and  amendment :  Yea,  as 
all  the  evils  of  the  church  do  commonly  first  flow  from  the 
officers,  so  the  reformation  of  it  is  first  to  begin  with  them. 
And  who  shall  reform  the  officers  of  the  church,  but  the 
church  itself  ?  seeing  the  officers  will  be  sure  to  tolerate 
one  another  in  their  un-gospel  and  un-christian  courses, 
against  the  life  of  Christ,  and  true  practice  of  the  word, 
because  it  is  their  ovm  case.  Wherefore,  seeing  the  gene- 
rality  of  the  present  clergy  are  arrived  to  this  height  of 
evil,  that  they  will  not  be  contented  to  be  servants,  but 
will  needs  make  themselves  lords  over  Christ's  flock,  plot- 
ting and  striving  to  pocure  and  mamtain  their  ecclesiasti- 
cal state  by  secular  power  ;  seeing  they  have  left  off  to 
preach  Christ,  and  the  gospel,  and  only  preach  of  state- 
affairs,  railing  against  the  most  just  and  necessary  proceed- 
ings of  the  supreme  authority  of  the  kingdom,  as  not 
suitable  to  their  designs  ;  seeing  they  are  daily  depraving 
the  sayings  and  writings  of  men  more  righteous  than 
themselves ;  yea,  and  dare  cast  a  veil  of  their  false  exposi- 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  225 

tions  over  the  very  scriptures,  to  darken  them,  and  make 
them  as  sackcloth  to  the  world,  that  the  glory  of  the 
Father,  and  the  mind  of  Christ,  might  (if  it  were  possi- 
ble) be  wholly  obscured  ;  yea,  seeing  they  are  become  so 
vile,  that  they  had  rather  Christ  himself,  with  his  gospel, 
and  true  church,  should  all  perish,  than  that  they  should 
suffer  the  least  diminution  of  their  power,  dignity,  riches, 
dominion  and  tyranny  (o)  :  What  remains,  but  that  the 
societies  of  Christians  should  meet  together  to  reform  these 
evil  officers  ?  And  whereas  they  are  now  met  to  reform 
the  church,  it  is  far  more  necessary  and  would  be  far  more 
profitable  for  the  congregations  of  the  faithful,  to  meet  to- 
gether to  reform  them,  if  yet  they  be  capable  of  relorma- 
tion  ;  which  I  confess  is  much  to  be  doubted,  seeing  they 
sin  against  so  clear  a  light. 

2.  If  the  officers  of  the  church  prove  incorrigible,  the 
church  hath  power  to  depose  them,  seeing  they  have  no 
indelible  character,  whatever  the  Romish  church  affirms. 
Wherefore,  as  the  true  church  hath  power  to  choose  its 
ministers,  and  to  continue  them  as  long  as  they  remain 
faithful  in  their  work  ;  so  also  it  hath  power  to  remove 
them,  if  they  forsake  the  truth  and  power  of  the  gospel. 
For  as  in  civil  societies,  not  subjected  to  tyranny,  officers 
that  prove  evil  are  moveable  by  them  that  made  them  ; 
so  likewise  the  church  hath  power  to  remove,  if  it  see 
cause,  this  spiritual  officer ;  yea,  the  spiritual  officer  is  so 
much  the  more  moveable  than  the  civil,  by  how  much  the 
more  he  is  intolerable,  if  he  be  unfaithful :  for  the  civil 
officer  can  only  hurt  in  the  things  of  this  life,  but  the 
spiritual  in  the    things  of  eternal   life.     Wherefore,    the 

[o)  Hi  perfecto  non  venient  in  concilium,  ut  judicentur  ab  aliis 
lit  enienclent  ea  qure  ipsorum  ik.  conscientia,  adeoque  totus  minidus 
eineiidanda  esse  clamat,  sed  omnes  alios  judicare  &  subjugare  ;  suani 
illam  potentianx  retinere  ;  &  quicquid  ipsorum  obstat  libidini,  con- 
culcare.  e  medio  tolleve  conaljuntur.  BuUuigev.  Ep.  ad  Edvard.  sext. 

Ff 


226  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

church  hath  the  greatest  necessity  to  remove  him,  and 
choose  another ;  seeing  this  salt,  when  it  hath  lost  its  sa- 
vour, is  good  for  nothing  but  to  be  cast  upon  the  dung- 
hill. And  to  this,  worthy  Mr.  Tindcil^  a  blessed  martyr,  wit- 
nesses, saying,  "  If  they,  [that  is,  the  ministers]  err  from 
the  word,  then  may  whosoever  God  moveth  in  his  heart, 
play  Paul^  and  correct  him  ;  and  if  he  will  not  obey  the 
scripture  then  have  his  brethren  authority  by  the  scripture 
to  put  him  down,  and  send  him  out  of  Christ's  church, 
among  the  heretics,  which  prefer  their  false  doctrines  above 
the  true  word  of  Christ."  fpj 

4.  The  true  church  hath  power  to  call  its  councils. 

If  the  church  of  the  faithful  stand  in  need  of  a  council, 
it  may  call  one,  if  it  pleaseth,  and  it  hath  power  so  to  do  : 
and  the  council  is  not  to  call  and  appoint  the  church,  as 
is  now  done,  but  the  church  is  to  call  and  appoint  the 
council ;  and  the  council  is  to  have  its  authority  from  the 
church,  and  not  the  church  from  it.  And  for  the  world, 
it  can  no  more  call  the  councils  of  the  church,  than  the 
church  can  call  the  councils  of  the  world ;  the  councils  of 
the  church  and  the  world,  being  as  distinct  as  the  church 
and  the  world  themselves  are. 

Now  I  said,  The  church,  if  it  need  a  council,  may  call 
one  ;  because  the  church  of  believers  now  seldom  needs  a 
council,  seeing  all  things  are  so  clear  in  the  word  of  God, 
with  which  the  faithful  are  so  well  acquainted. 

There  are  many  other  causes  why  the  right  church  may 
very  well  be  without  councils  ;  As, 

1.  Because  councils,  as  the  manner  was,  were  either 
called  or  congregated  by  the  pope,  a  mere  usurper  in 
the  church ;  or  by  secular  and  worldly  princes,  who 
advanced  themselves  to  the  same  power  in  the  church, 
though  upon  another  account.     And   according   to 

(p)  Tindal-s  practice  of  popish  prelates,  p.  344. 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  227 

their  ends  and  designs,  councils,  for  the  most  part, 
have  been  guided  and  pointed. 

2.  Because  they  have,  for  the  most  part,  been  made  up 
of  bishops  and  ecclesiastical  men,  who  have  only 
sought  the  interest  and  advantage  of  the  clergy,  to  the 
prejudice  of  the  body  of  Christianity;  by  which  means 
they  have  set  up  their  own  kingdom  and  tyranny  over 
all  other  Christians. 

3.  Because,  being  gathered  and  met,  they  have  especially 
meddled  with  outward  rites  and  ceremonies ;  and 
touching  these,  have  made  binding  and  coercive  laws, 
to  the  overthrow  of  Christian  liberty,  and  the  ensna- 
ring and  enslaving  men's  consciences. 

4.  Because,  if  they  have  meddled  with  doctrine,  they 
have  rather  perverted  and  obscured  the  clear  word  of 
the  gospel,  than  truly  explicated  and  unfolded  it. 

5.  Wherein  they  have  done  well,  yet  this  evil  hath  al- 
ways gone  along  with  it,  that  they  have  made  people 
rather  look  to  men  than  unto  God,  and  that  in  the  very 
things  of  God  ;  and  to  take  divine  things  from  them, 
by  a  human  faith,  rather  than  from  God  himself,  and 
his  immediate  word,  according  to  the  faith  of  God's 
elect :  and  so  have  given  forth  themselves  in  their 
opinions  and  judgments,  as  a  foundation  to  the  church 
in  the  stead  of  Jesus  Christ. 

6.  Because  they  always  determine  the  things  of  God  by 
the  plurality  of  votes,  and  do  not  weigh,  but  number 
the  suftVages,  and  so  the  greater  part  still  overcomes 
the  better ;  and  the  many  that  are  called,  carry  the 
vote  against  the  few  that  are  chosen;  whereby  it  comes 
to  pass,  that  the  truth  is  subdued,  and  error  is  estab- 
lished, by  a  plausible  authority. 

7.  Because  such  councils  commonly  attribute  to  them- 
selves infallibility  ;  and  so  set  themselves  up  as  a 
peremptory   rule,  by  which  the  whole  church  must 


228  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

walk,  and  none  must  presume  to  say  to  them,  ciir  ita 
facitis  ?  why  do  ye  so  ?  though  they  do  ne\Tr  so  ill. 
They  say,  they  cannot  be  judged  by  any  other  Chris- 
tians, because  they  are  subject  to  none  ;  but  all  other 
Christians  are  subject  to  them,  and  are  to  be  judged 
by  them  :  They  say,  they  may  pronounce  all  other 
schismatics,  and  heretics,  but  no  body  must  pro- 
nounce  them  so,  though  they  be  so.  And  after  they 
have  once  drunk  of  this  cup  of  abomination,  what 
hope  can  there  be,  that  any  thing  hereafter  should  be 
done  right  among  them  ? 
8.  And  lastly,  because,  after  so  many  councils,  things 
have  not  been  the  better,  but  the  worse  in  the  church, 
through  their  means :  for  it  is  not  dead  laws  and  or- 
ders, written  by  men,  will  do  the  true  church  any 
good ;  but  the  living  law  of  God,  written  in  their 
hearts  by  the  Spirit,  as  God  hath  promised  to  do  ;  say- 
ing, /  xvill  ivrite  my  law  in  their  hearts^  and  put  ?t  in 
their  inward  parts.  For  as  the  law  of  sin  hath  been 
written  in  our  natures,  to  corrupt  us ;  so  the  law  of 
the  Spirit  of  life  must  be  written  also  in  our  natures 
to  reform  us.  Wherefore,  after  all  their  decrees, 
laws,  rules,  orders,  &c.  the  church  commonly  hatj] 
been  so  far  from  being  bettered,  that  it  hath  become 
more  ignorant  of  the  word,  superstitious,  formal  and 
profane,  than  before  f^) 
All  these  things  being  seriously  considered,  the  church 
may  very  well  want  councils. 

(m)  Nam  quid  expectemus  ex  generalium  concilioruin  dctermina- 
tionibus,  docent  nos  proxima  aliquot  seculon  m  cxenipla,  jam  inde  ab 
aunis  quadragintis  autiinplius.  Quoenim  crebriora  coiere  concilia, 
taiito  magis  invaluit  superstitio,  &  error  in  doctrina,abusus  in  ritibus, 
superbia,  luxuries,  avaritia,  omnisque  corruptio  in  docentibus,  vel  sa- 
cerdotibus,  denique  fcedisciplinpe  obliteratio.  Bulling.  EjAst.  ad 
Edvard.  se^vtum. 


h 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  229 


Now,  if  any  shall  say,  }'ea,  !)iit  had  not  the  cluirch  a 
council  in  the  apostles  times?  as  we  see  .'lets  xv.  and  did 
not  they  order  and  decree  matters  in  the  church  ? 

I  answer,  the  church  had  a  council  then,  but  far  differ- 
ing from  the  councils  now  a  days  ;  for, 

1.  That  council  was  not  called,  nor  packed  together  by 
secular  power,  but  freely  met  t08;ether,  by  the  general 
consent  of  the  church  of  the  faithful :  For  by  the  be- 
lievers at  Afitioc/i,  it  was  agreed,  that  Paid  and  Barna- 
bas should  go  to  the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem, 
about  the  matters  in  contro\"ersy. 

2.  This  council  did  not  consist  only  of  the  apostles  and 
elders,  but  of  the  brethren  also,  and  whole  church ; 
and  the  whole  church,  as  \vell  as  the  apostles  and  el- 
ders, did  agree  and  order  what  was  done  in  that 
matter. 

3.  That  free  council,  consisting  of  the  apostles,  elders, 
and  brethren,  did  not  determine  any  thing  by  their 
mere  power  and  authorit}-,  but  debated  the  business 
by  the  word,  and  by  the  word  concluded  it :  And  so 
it  was  not  the  authority  of  the  council  that  did  any 
thing,  but  the  authority  of  the  word,  that  did  all  in  that 
matter  ;  as  you  may  see  in  the  fore- named  place.  And 
in  these  respects  that  council  differs  from  ours. 

Now  if,  notwithstanding  all  this,  the  church,  upon  some 
occasions,  desire  a  council  (for  herein,  as  in  all  other  out- 
ward things,  it  is  free)  it  must  mind  these  things. 

1.  That  it  hath  power  itself  to  call  one,  as  the  primi- 
tive church  had.  And  what  men  can  object  against 
this,  of  worldly  princes  calling  them  ;  let  them  not 
say,  what  they  did,  but  what  they  ought  to  have 
done. 

2.  As  the  church  itself  is  to  choose  its  council,  so  it  is 
to  choose  it  out  of  itself;  for  the  councils  of  the 
church  are  to  be  chosen  out  of  the  church,  and  not 


230  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

of  the  world  ;  out  of  the  faithful,  and  not  out  of  un- 
believers. For  "  the  natural  man,  that  neither  knows 
nor  savours  the  things  that  be  of  God,"  can  be  of  no 
use  here  ;  but  he  must  be  able  to  know  the  word  of 
God  from  the  doctrines  of  men,  and  to  separate  the 
precious  from  the  vile,  that  is  employed  in  this  mat- 
ter. And  so  the  natural,  carnal,  and  literal  man  must 
be  declined  here,  where  the  things  are  wholly  spiritual 
and  divine ;  and  the  spiritual  man  only,  Avho  speaks 
spiritual  things  by  a  spiritual  rule,  must  be  heard  and 
regarded  ;  and  so  a  man  must  first  be  of  the  church, 
ere  he  can  be  of  the  council. 

3.  As  the  church  is  to  choose  men  out  of  itself,  for  its 
council,  so  likewise  it  is  to  choose  brethren,  as  well  as 
elders  ;  and  ecclesiastical  men  are  not  to  meddle  alone 
in  the  matters  of  the  church,  and  to  thrust  out  other 
Christians,  as  if  they  were  necessarily  to  be  concluded 
in,  and  by  them. 

4.  In  choosing  elders  and  brethren  to  this  work,  great 
care  is  to  be  had,  that  they  choose  not  men  of  world- 
ly power  or  place,  lest  worldly  power,  and  autho- 
rity, and  honour,  might  seem  to  bear  sway  in  the 
things  of  the  kingdom  of  God :  but  they  are  rather 
to  make  choice  of  men  destitute  of  these  things,  that 
it  may  appear,  whatever  they  do,  is  done  only  by  the 
clear  evidence  of  the  word,  and  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
and  so  only  by  the  law  of  love,  all  secular  power 
and  force  being  excluded,  (r) 

(r)  Ex  ejusmodi  ccetu,  i.  e.  fideliuin,  deligendi  erunt  homines  ad 
consilium;  hoc  vero  essetpulcherrimum  concilium,  quod  ab  ipso  Spi- 
ritu  Sancto  regeretur.  In  hanc  sententium  &  Lyra  scriptum  reliquit, 
Ecclesiam  non  eestimandam  esse  ex  summis  illis,  aut  spiritualibus  or- 
dinihus,  sed  ex  vere  credentiiis.  Luther.  Libel,  tie  nods  verm  Ecdes. 
torn.  7.f.  152. 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  231 

5.  The  church  hath  power  to  judge  of  all  doctrines  ^  and 
that  both  of  its  ojficers  and  councils. 

1.  The  clergy,  and  ecclesiastical  men,  have  been  wont  to 
challenge  to  themselves  the  knowledge  and  judgment  of 
doctrines,  and  have  excluded  ordinary  Christians  from  it; 
whereas,  in  truth,  the  judgment  of  doctrine  belongeth 
to  the  people,  and  not  to  the  ministers.  And  all  Christ's 
sheep  have  power  to  judge  of  the  doctrine  the  ministers 
teach,  whether  it  be  Christ's  voice,  or  a  stranger's,  John-x.. 
and  Christ  commanded  them  to  take  heed  of  false  prophets, 
which  come  to  them  in  sheep'' s  clothings  being  inwardly  raven- 
ing wolves^  Matt.  vii.  And  the  apostle  commands  them,  to 
try  the  spirits,  whether  they  be  of  God:  and  hath  said.  Let 
one  or  two  speak,  and  the  rest  judge,  1  Cor.  xiv.  &c.  by 
which,  with  many  other  scriptures,  it  is  evident.  That  mi- 
nisters  are  not  to  judge  of  doctrine  for  the  people  ;  but  the 
people  are  to  judge  of  the  doctrine  of  the  ministers,  and  ac- 
cording as  they  find  it  to  be  of  God,  or  not  of  God  to  re- 
ceive it,  or  reject  it.  For  every  one  is  to  be  saved  by  his 
own  faith,  and  not  by  another  man's  ;  and  so  is  to  take  heed 
how  he  hears  the  things  of  faith,  at  his  own  peril ;  and  he 
is  not  (if  he  will  be  wise  unto  salvation)  to  take  up  things 
on  trust,  in  a  manner  that  concerns  either  his  eternal  life, 
or  eternal  death. 

2.  As  the  church  is  to  judge  of  the  doctrine  of  its  offi- 
cers, so  also  of  its  councils :  For  the  church  judges  of 
them  and  their  doctrine  also  by  the  word ;  and  doth  not 
take  all  that  they  determine  for  truth,  to  be  certain  and 
unquestionable  :  Yea,  in  the  first  council  of  the  apostles, 
Acts  XV.  other  churches  and  Christians  had  both  liberty 
and  power,  to  try  both  the  doctrine  and  spirit  of  the  very 
apostles  in  that  matter  ;  and  were  not  to  swallow  it  down 
whole,  as  they  say,  because  the  apostles  had  determined 
it,  and  they  were  holy  men  ;  but  the  faithful  were  to 
judge,  whether  or  no  they  had  judged  according  to  the 


232  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

word,  and  if  not,  they  might  have  resisted  them,  as  Paul 
did  Peter.  And  Paul  gives  this  liberty  to  Christians  ;  yea, 
we  have  it  from  Christ  himself,  whether  Paul  had  allowed 
it  or  no,  to  try  the  very  apostles  themselves,  and  the  very 
angels  of  heaven,  whether  they  bring  the  right  word  or 
no  :  for  Christ  commanded  the  apostles  to  teach  the  na- 
tions, to  observe  and  do  ivhatsoever  he  had  commanded  them^ 
and  nothing  else  ;  and  saith  Paul,  If  /,  or  an  angel  from 
heaven^  bring  you  any  other  doctrine,  let  him  be  accursed. 
So  that  the  church  hath  power  to  examine,  try,  and  judge, 
the  doctrine  of  the  apostles  and  angels,  much  more  of 
other  men,  who  have  not  received  such  an  anointing,  nei- 
ther do  live  in  so  clear  a  light  of  God. 

And  thus  I  have  declared  the  things  which  seemed  to 
me  both  convenient  and  necessary  for  the  true  church  to 
know,  for  the  preserving  of  that  peace  among  themselves, 
which  they  have  in  Christ. 

Now  as  the  judgment  of  the  church  is  to  be  rectified  in 
these  things,  so  the  practice  of  it  is  to  be  rectified  in  other 
things,  for  the  preserving  it  in  peace. 

The  things  wherein  the  practice  of  the  church  is  to  be 
rectified  in  the  way  of  peace,  are  either, 

1.  More  absolute  and  general,  or, 

2.  More  special  and  occasional,  in  case  of  difference 

among  the  faithful. 

Among  the  things  that  are  more  absolute  and  general, 
which  are  to  be  done,  to  procure  and  preserve  the  peace  of 
the  church  :  these  nine  things,  that  follow,  have  not  the 
least  place. 

1.  Practical  rule  for  peace. 

1.  The  true  church  is  to  preserve  itself  distinct  from 
the  world  :  and  is  neither  to  mingle  itself  with  the  world, 
nor  to  suffer  the  world  to  mingle  itself  with  it.  For  if  the 
church  and  the  world  be  mingled  together  in  one  society, 
the  same  common  laws  will  no  more  agree  to  them,  who 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  233 

are  of  such  different  natures,  principles  and  ends,  than  tlie 
s-iine  common  laws  will  agree  to  light  and  darkness,  life 
and  death,  sin  and  righteousness,  flesh  and  spirit. 

For  the  true  church  are  a  spiritual  people,  being  born 
©r  God,  and  so  they  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  according 
to  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life,  that  was  in  Christ,  and  is 
in  them:  but  the  carnal  church  is  of  the  world,  and  only- 
savours  of  the  world,  and  so  will  have  a  worldly  religion, 
forms,  orders,  government,  and  all  worldly  as  itself  is. 
Now  whilst  these  two  are  mingled  together,  what  peace 
can  there  be  ?  for  what  fellowship  hath  righteousness  with 
unrighteousness,  and  light  with  darkness,  and  Christ  with 
the  devil  ?  Aiid  so,  what  agreement  have  believers  with 
uiibeiievers,  or  the  true  church  with  the  world?  Where- 
fore it  is  not  the  way  of  peace,  to  mingle  the  church  and 
the  world,  but  to  separate  them,  and  to  keep  them  dis- 
tinct ;  th.t  those  that  are  of  one  nature  and  spirit,  may  be 
of  one  communion  among  themselves :  and  this  way  of 
p^race  God  himself  teacheth  us  by  Paul,  2  Cor.  vi.  17. 
saying.  Come  out  Jrom  among  them,  my  people,  and  be  ye 
separate :  for  to  separate  the  church  from  the  world,  in  its 
communion  of  saints,  is  the  only  way  to  preserve  peace  in 
both  ;  seeing  the  church  will  best  agree  with  itself,  and  the 
world  with  itself. 

The  second  rule. 

2.  The  church  being  thus  distinct  from  the  world,  is 
to  be  contented  with  its  own  power  for  its  own  affairs ; 
and  is  not  to  introduce  or  entertain  any  power  in  it,  that 
is  not  of  it.  Wherefore,  the  true  church,  being  such  a 
kingdom,  as  is  not  of  this  world,  stands  in  need  of  no 
worldly  power ;  and  being  a  spiritual  and  heavenly  king- 
dom, is  only  to  have  and  exercise  a  spiritual  and  heavenly 
power;  seeing  this  power  alone,  and  by  itself,  is  able  to 
accomplish  the  whole  good  pleasure  of  God  in  the  church, 
and  to  work  all  the  works  in  it  that  God  hath  to  do. 

G  g 


234  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

And  so,  it  is  strongly  to  be  suspected,  that  those  men 
that  dare  not  commit  the  success  of  their  business  to 
Christ's  power  alone,  but  will  call  in  secular  power,  over 
and  above,  to  help  them  :  I  say,  it  is  more  than  probable, 
that  they  have  underneath,  some  secular  end,  seeing  Christ's 
power  alone  is  fully  sufficient  to  do  all  things  that  are  ne- 
cessary and  profitable  for  his  kingdom. 

Besides,  this  wordly  power  never  works  peace,  but  al- 
ways disturbances  in  the  church  ;  putting  all  things  out  of 
God's  way  and  method,  into  man's,  and  working  man's 
will  rather  than  God's ;  yea,  man's  will  against  God's  :  and 
it  is  wholly  contrary  to  the  very  nature  of  the  church ;  and 
how  then  can  it  agree  with  it  in  any  thing  ? 

If  any  shall  reply,  that  worldly  power  doth  well  in  the 
church,  because  it  keeps  down  many  profane  persons  that 
would  not  be  kept  down  by  the  word. 

I  answer  ;  That  so  far  as  such  profane  ones  are  govern- 
ed by  wordly  power,  they  are  of  the  world,  and  not  of 
the  church  ;  and  worldly  power  had  better  govern  them  in 
the  world,  its  own  proper  sphere,  than  in  the  church, 
which  is  beyond  their  line  ;  especially,  seeing  the  church 
hath  power  enough  in  itself,  to  govern  those  that  are  of 
it ;  and  they  that  will  not  be  governed  willingly  in  the 
church,  as  Christians,  let  them  be  governed  against  their 
wills,  in  the  commonwealth,  as  men.  For  the  govern- 
ment of  the  church  is  over  men,  as  Christians,  as  spiritual ; 
but  the  government  of  the  state  is  over  men,  as  men,  as 
natural  and  carnal.  The  first  of  these  governments  belong 
to  Christ,  and  the  latter  to  the  magistrate ;  and  if  the  ma- 
gistrate be  faithful  in  his  office  and  headship,  there  is  no 
doubt  to  be  made  of  Christ's  faithfulness  in  his.  But  now, 
if  the  magistrate  will  not  content  himself  with  his  own 
kingdom  and  power,  but  will  needs  intrude  on  Christ's 
also  ;  and  not  reckoning  it  enough  to  govern  men,  as  men, 
by  his  worldly  power,  will  also  by  the  same  power,  be 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  235 

tampering  with  the  very  church  :  this  both  renders  him 
troublesome  to  the  faithful,  and  the  faithful  to  him  :  Him 
troublesome  to  the  faithful,  in  that  he  uses  a  power  over 
them,  that  is  neither  suitable  to  them,  nor  their  affairs; 
and  them  troublesome  to  him,  because  in  God's  kingdom, 
as  they  hear  not  the  voice,  so  neither  do  they  obey  the  com- 
mand of  a  stranger. 

The  pope,  he  arrogates  both  swords  to  himself,  when 
neither  belongs  to  him,  and  therefore,  in  due  time,  shall 
perish  by  both  ;  and  if  the  magistrate  shall  assume  to  him- 
self the  power  of  both  kingdoms,  Christ's  and  the  world's, 
when  of  right  but  one  belongs  to  him,  to  wit,  the  world's, 
and  not  Christ's ;  it  will  be  very  dangerous,  lest  by  en- 
croaching on  Christ's  kingdom,  he  lose  his  own. 

Let  the  magistrate  therefore  use  his  power  in  the  state, 
and  let  him  suffer  Christ  to  use  his  power  in  the  church, 
seeing  his  presence  is  always  there  ;  and  then  there  will  be 
quietness  in  both,  but  else  in  neither ;  seeing  Christ  will 
as  assuredly  trouble  the  magistrate's  kingdom,  as  the  ma- 
gistrate troubles  his. 

The  third  rule,  is. 

Not  to  bring  or  force  men  into  the  church  against  their 
wills.  The  kingdoms  of  the  world  are  unquiet,  because 
many  that  are  unwilling,  are  under  those  regiments  ;  but 
Christ's  kingdom  is  therefore  quiet,  because  all  the  peo- 
ple in  it  are  willing ;  and  none  of  them  are  forced  in,  but 
all  are  persuaded  in,  as  it  is  written,  God  persuade  Japhet  to 
dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem  :  That  is,  the  gentiles  were  to  be 
persuaded,  and  not  forced  into  the  church.  And  so  Christ 
commanded  his  disciples  to  go  and  teach  all  nations,  and 
not  to  offer  them  outward  violence  ;  and  to  persuade 
peace,  but  not  to  threaten  or  enforce  it.  "  For  such  is  the 
nature  of  the  church,  that  inward  persuasion  is  requi- 
red no  where  more  than  here.     For  none  may  be  com' 


236  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

pelled  to  the  faith  against  their  wills,  and  God  will  be  lov- 
ed with  the  whole  heart ;  and  also  hypocrisy  is  a  sin  chiefly 
hated  of  God.  AVhereby  it  comes  to  pass,  that  the  whole 
manner  of  governing  the  church  must  have  this  scope, 
that  they  that  are  persuaded,  may  be  first  called  into  it,  and 
after  kept  in  it,  upon  the  same  account.  And  so,  the  more 
this  manner  shall  be  free  from  dominion,  so  much  the 
more  fit  is  it  to  govern,  increase  and  confirm  the  church 
(j.)."  And  this  way  only  was  used  as  long  as  the  apos- 
tles lived,  and  those  that  succeeded  them  in  the  same  spi- 
rit ;  and  that  unquestionably  for  300  years  after  :  Yea,  and 
when  the  church  came  to  be  countenanced  by  worldly  au- 
thority, yet  this  same  freedom  still  was  allowed  ;  of  which 
I  shall  produce  a  few  testimonies. 

I  read,  that  Const a?iti?ie,  the  emperor,  would  have  no  man 
enforced  to  be  of  one  religion  more  than  another. 

Also  the  same  Constantine^  in  his  epistle  to  his  subjects 
inhabiting  the  east,  saith,  "  Let  no  man  be  grievous  one 
to  another  :  but  what  every  man  thinketh  best,  that  let 
him  DO.  For  such  as  are  wise,  ought  thoroughly  to  be 
persuaded,  that  they  only  mean  to  live  holily,  as  they 
should  do,  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  moveth  to  take  their 
delight  and  recreation  in  reading  his  holy  will ;  and  if 
others  wilfully  will  go  out  of  the  way,  cleaving  to  the 
synagogues  of  false  doctrine,  they  may  at  their  own  pe- 
ril.    As  for  us,  we  have  the  worthy  house  or  congrega- 

(s)  Ea  est  ecclesiee  natura,  ut  nusquam  magis  requiratur  interna 
persuasio.  Nam  &  ad  fidem  nemo  cogi  potest  invitus,  &  Deustoto  se 
corde  vult  amari,  &  denique  hypocrisis  peccatum  est  imprimis  Deo 
cxosum.  Quo  fit,  ut  tota  ecclesise  gubernandae  ratio, hunc  scopum  ha- 
bere, ut  in  ecclesiam  vocentur  plurimi  persuasi,  &  in  ecclesia  conti- 
nentur  non  alia  ratione.  Itaque  quo  magis  ea  ratio  aberit  ab  imperio, 
lioc  magis  est  apta,  regenda?,  augeudse  &  confirmandse  ecclesise. 
Chamer.  de  Oeciimen.  Pontific, 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  237 

tion  of  God's  verity,  wliich  he,  accordin,^  to  his  own  good- 
ness and  nature,  hath  given  ns.  And  this  also  we  wish  to 
them,  that  with  like  participation  and  common  consent, 
they  may  feel  with  us  the  same  delectation  of  mind.  And 
after,  let  no  man  hurt,  or  he  prejudicial  to  his  neighbour, 
in  that  wherein  he  thinketh  himself  to  have  done  well.  If 
by  that  which  any  man  knowcth,  or  hath  experience  of,  he 
tinnketh  he  may  profit  his  neighbour,  let  him  do  the  same  ; 
if  not,  let  him  give  over,  and  remit  it  till  another  time. 
For  there  is  a  great  diversity  between  the  willing  and  vol- 
untary embracing  of  religion,  and  that  whereunto  a  man  is 
forced  and  constrained  (^)." 

I  read  also  that  Ethelbert  king  of  Kent,  "  Being  con- 
verted to  the  faith,  anjio  586,  after  his  conversion,  innume- 
rable others  daily  did  come  in,  and  were  converted  to  the 
faith  of  Christ,  whom  the  king  did  especially  embrace,  but 
COMPELLED   NONE  ;  for  SO  he  had  learned,   that   the 

FAITH  AND  SERVICE  OF  ChRIST  OUGHT  TO  BE  VOLUN- 
TARY, AND  NOT  COACTED  ''/i)." 

The  church  then,  at  first,  consisted  only  of  the  willing, 
and  such  as  were  persuaded  unto  it  by  the  word,  till  anti- 
christ began  to  prevail,  and  then  they  fell  from  persuad- 
ing to  forcing ;  and  they  no  longer  went  about  to  make 
men  willing  by  the  word,  but  to  get  power  from  the  kings 
of  the  earth,  to  force  them  against  their  wills.  And  this 
main   piece   of  the   mystery   of  iniquity,    was   perfectly 

{t)  Secundum  banc  itaque  nostrum  voluntatem,sano  ac  rectissimo 
judicio  decrevimus,  nemini  proisiis  denegandum  esse  potestatem, 
christianam  observantiam  vel  religionem  ellgendi  ac  secjuendi ;  sed 
unicuique  dandam  esse  banc  facultatem,  ut  animum  suum  illi  reli"-i- 
oni  addicat,  quam  ipse  sibi  competere  putat,  quo  nobis  Deus  consue- 
tam  in  omnibus  diligentiam  Scprobitatem  prsestet.  Eusrh.  l.  10.  c.  5. 
Fox.  vol.  I.  p.  131. 

(rf)Fox,  vol.  1.  p.  150# 


238  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &,c. 

brought  forth  by  Boniface  the  third,  who  was  the  first  that 
used  these  words  in  the  church,  Volumus^  mandamus  statui- 
mus,  ac  pracipimus,  "  We  will,  we  require,  we  appoint,  we 
command  :"  which  is  not  the  voice  of  the  true  ministers  of 
Christ,  but  the  true  voice  of  thieves  and  murderers.  And 
from  that  time  the  peace  of  the  church  decayed  apace, 
when  there  were  more  unwilling  forced  unto  it,  than  wil- 
ling persuaded.  And  true  peace  will  never  be  restored  to 
it  again,  till  men  shall  abandon  the  power  of  force,  and 
only  use  the  persuasion  of  the  word,  that  the  church  may 
consist  only  of  a  willing  people. 

The  fourth  rule,  is, 
To  make  void  the  distinction  of  clergy  and  laity  among 
Christians  :  For  the  clergy,  or  ecclesiastical  men,  have  all 
along,  under  the  reign  of  antichrist,  distinguished  them- 
selves  from  other  Christians,  whom  they  called  the  laity  ; 
and  have  made  up  a  distinct,  or  several  kingdom  among 
themselves ;  and  separated  themselves  from  the  lay  in  all 
things  ;  and  called  themselves  by  the  name  of  the  Church; 
and  reckoned  other  Christians  but  as  common  and  unclean, 
in  respect  of  themselves.  Whereas,  in  the  true  church  of 
Christ,  there  are  no  distinctions,  nor  sects,  nor  difference 
of  persons;  no  clergy  or  laity  ;  no  ecclesiastical,  or  tem- 
poral; but  they  are  all,  as  Peter  describes  them,  1  Pet.  ii.  9. 
A  chosen  generation, aroyal priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  apecit- 
liar  people,  to  shew  forth  the  virtues  of  him  that  called  them 
out  of  darkness  into  his  marvelous  light.  And  so  all  Chris- 
tians, through  the  baptism' of  the  Spirit,  are  made  priests 
alike  unto  God  ;  and  every  one  hath  right  and  power  alike 
to  speak  the  word  ;  and  so  there  is  among  them  no  clergy  or 
laity ;  but  the  ministers  are  such  who  are  chosen  by  Chris- 
tians, from  among  themselves,  to  speak  the  word  to  all, 
in  the  name  and  right  of  all ;  and  they  have  no  right  nor 
authority  at  all  to  this  office,  but  by  the  consent  of  the 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  239 

church.  And  so  presbyters  and  bishops,  or  (which  is  all 
one)  elders  and  overseers  in  the  church,  differ  nothing 
from  other  Christians,  but  only  in  the  office  of  the  word, 
which  is  committed  to  them  by  the  church ;  as  an  alder- 
man or  common  council  man  in  the  city,  differs  nothuig 
from  the  rest  of  the  citizens,  but  only  in  their  office, 
which  they  have  not  of  themselves  neither,  but  by  the 
city's  choice;  or  as  the  speaker  in  the  house  of  commons, 
differs  nothing  from  the  rest  of  the  commons,  but  only  in 
his  office,  which  he  hath  also  by  the  choice  of  the  house  ; 
and  thus,  and  no  otherwise,  doth  a  minister  differ  from  other 
Christians,  as  Paul  suith.  Let  a  man  so  esteem  qfiis^  as  of  the 
ministers  of  Christy  and  dispensers  of  the  mysteries  of  God, 

But  antichrist,  he  hath  cast  out  the  simplicity  of  Chris- 
tian people,  and  brought  sects  into  the  church,  dividing  it 
into  clergy  and  laity  ;  and  this  distinction  they  have  made 
visible  by  their  garments,  disguising  their  clergy  hi  their 
habit  from  other  Christians,  that  they  may  appear  holier 
than  they,  and  of  another  order  from  them.  iVnd  this 
distinction  hath  proved  a  seminary  of  implacable  discord, 
and  heart-burning  in  the  church  :  For  hereupon  the  cler- 
gy have  preferred  themselves  above  other  Christians,  and 
have  exercised  authority  and  coercive  power  and  domina- 
tion, and  very  tyranny  over  them  ;  and  have  made  them- 
selves their  lords,  and  given  them  laws,  rules,  forms,  or- 
ders, after  their  own  minds,  and  agreeable  to  their  own 
advantages,  and  would  not  so  much  as  suffer  them  to  judge 
whether  they  were  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God  or  not;  as 
if  other  Christians  were  their  subjects,  slaves,  vassals,  yea, 
very  dogs.  And  hence  again,  the  laity  (as  they  called 
them)  have  envied  and  maligned  them,  and  hated  and  op- 
posed them ;  and  as  they  could  get  power,  have  been  sub- 
duing them  ;  and  have  looked  upon  them  as  men  of  a 
different  sect  and  interest  from  themselves,  whose  pros- 
perity was  their  ruin,  and  whose  power  was  their  inslav- 


240  THK  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c; 

ing :  and  all  this  was  to  the  making  void  Christian  bro- 
therhood and  communion.  Wherefore  the  right  church, 
to  preserve  in  it  the  peace  of  Christ,  must  admit  of  no 
such  distinction  of  laity  and  clergy,  but  all  Christians 
must  equally  remain  in  it,  kings,  priests,  and  prophets  unto 
God. 

The  fifth  rule,  is. 

To  keep  equality  in  the  church,  and  that  both  between 
Christians  and  churches  :  for  this  also  is  an  excellent  way 
to  preserve  peace. 

1.  To  keep  equality  between  Christians.  For  though, 
according  to  our  first  nativity,  whereby  we  are  born  of 
men,  there  is  great  inequality,  some  being  born  high, 
some  low,  some  honourable,  some  mean,  some  kings,  some 
subjects,  &:c.  yet,  according  to  our  new  or  second  birth, 
whereby  we  are  born  of  God,  there  is  exact  equality;  for 
here  arc  none  better  or  worse,  higher  or  lower;  but  all  have 
the  S-ime  faith,  hope,  love  ;  the  same  God,  Christ,  Spirit, 
the  same  divine  nature  ;  the  same  precious  promises  ;  the 
same  incurruptible  crown,  and  ii:iheritance  of  saints  in 
light.  And  therefore  saith  Paul,  speaking  of  this  true 
church,  There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  bond  nor  free y 
male  nor  female  ;  hut  all  are  one  in  Christ  Jesus :  Gal. 
iii.  28.  Indeed,  in  the  world,  and  before  men  (I  say  again) 
there  is  distinction  of  persons,  and  inequality ;  but  in 
Christ's  kingdom,  and  before  God,  all  believers  are  equal : 
and  this  equality  preserves  peace.  But  when,  in  this  king- 
dom, some  men  will  be  advancing  themselves  above  others, 
like  Diotrephes,  that  would  have  the  pre-eminence;  and 
some  will  be  striving  to  sit  at  the  right  hand,  and  some 
at  the  left,  whilst  they  leave  others  to  sit  at  the  footstool ; 
this  is  that  which  bred  the  difference  among  the  very  dis- 
ciples, who  envied  Zebedee'' s  children  for  such  a  desire. 
And  therefore,  Christ,  to  preserve  peace,  forbade  lordship  in 
his  churdi,  and  commanded  service  ;  and  tells  them,  that 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  241 

the  nature  of  his  kingdom  is,  not  to  place  men  one  over 
another,  but  one  under  another,  and  that  the  greatest  must 
be  the  least ;  the  greatest  in  the  way  of  the  Spirit,  must  be 
the  least  in  the  way  of  the  flesh. 

2.  As  equality  among  Christians  is  to  be  kept  for  the 
preserving  of  peace,  so  also  among  churches  :  For  all 
churches  are  equal,  as  well  as  all  Christians  ;  and  there  is 
no  church  can  set  itself  before,  or  above  another ;  all 
being  sisters  of  one  mother  ;  beams  of  one  sun  ;  branches 
of  one  vine  :  streams  of  one  fountain  ;  members  of  one 
body  ;  branches  of  one  golden  candlestick  ;  and  so  all 
equal  in  all  things.  Wherefore  there  may,  and  ought  to 
be,  a  consociation  of  churches,  but  no  subordination, 
which  makes  void  at  once,  both  equality  and  unity.  And 
so  that  church,  or  those  churches,  that  will  set  them 
selves  above  other  churches  that  are  their  equals  ;  as  the  ' 
classical  above  the  congregational,  &c.  they  are  the  break- 
ers of  Christian  peace  and  unity  ;  and  the  unskilful  vote  of 
the  assembly,  for  the  subordination  of  churches,  was  not  a 
way  to  make  peace,  but  to  mar  peace  in  the  church  of 
God. 

Moreover,  no  church  can  be  subjected  to  another,  but 
Christ,  who  is  present  in  it,  and  is  king  and  lawgiver,  is 
subjected  too  ;  which  no  true  church  will  either  require 
or  allow.  For  if  the  true  church  will  not  subject  the 
word  of  God,  which  they  have  received,  to  any  men  or 
angels,  but  will  judge  all  by  it,  and  will  suffer  none  to 
judge  it ;  much  less  will  they  subject  Christ,  the  Lord  of 
all,  to  any  other  power  or  authority ;  for  so  they  should 
dishonour  and  disannul  their  head.  Where  two  or  three  are 
met  in  Christ's  name,  Christ  himself  is  among  them,  and 
the  head  of  them  ;  and  so  they  can  submit  to  no  body  else, 
seeing  Christ  hath  made  no  greater,  nor  surer  promise  of 
his  presence,  to  any  body  than  to  them. 

Hh 


242  I'lll'^  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

The  sixth  rule,  is, 

To  keep  the  offieers  of  the  chiireh  in  subordination  to 
the  whole  church  or  community,  and  not  to  suffer  them 
to  get  head  over  it ;  seeing  the  very  nature  o  luUivj  the 
church,  is  not  dominion,  but  service.  We  read,  jdcfs 
xi.  2.  that  when  Peter  had  preached  in  the  house  of  Cor- 
nelius^ a  gentile  or  heathen,  the  church  of  the  circumci- 
sion, to  whom  Peter  was  minister,  contended  with  him, 
that  he  went  in  to  men  uncircumcised,  and  did  eat  with 
them,  (for  as  yet  they  knew  not  that  tlie  Gentiles  were  to 
be  called  ;)  and  Peter  was  fain  to  give  an  account  to  them 
of  the  whole  matter,  and  to  shew  them,  that  he  was 
warned  of  God  in  a  vision  to  do  so,  &c.  And  this  was 
a  sign  that  Peter  was  a  servant  of  the  church,  and  in 
subordination  to  it,  and  no  lord  over  it.  And  after, 
ver.  22.  when  the  church  at  Jerusalem  heard  that  the 
Greciwis  at  Aiitioch  had  received  the  gospel,  they  sent 
Barnabas  to  Antioch^  to  forward  and  perfect  the  work. 
And  also,  the  church  at  Ajitioch  sent  forth  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  in  divers  towns  and 
countries.  All  which  are  an  evident  sign  that  the  church 
was  above  the  officers,  and  not  the  officers  above  the 
church. 

Now  this  also  will  preserve  peace  in  the  church,  to 
keep  the  officers  in  their  proper  place,  and  to  let  them 
remain  as  servants  in  the  church,  which  Christ  hath  com- 
manded ;  and  not  to  let  them  grow  up  to  be  lords  and 
masters,  which  (Christ  knowing  the  evil  and  inconveni- 
ence thereof)  hath  forbidden.  For  if  the  officers  get 
above  the  church,  though  they  be  never  so  good,  they  are 
masterful  and  troublesome  ;  and  though  never  so  bad,  yet 
will  they  get  a  party  in  the  church  for  themselves,  and 
so  work  disturbance  ;  but  if  the  church  remains,  as  it 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  243 

ought,  above  the  officers,  it  quits  them  wlien  they  grow 
evil  and  unruly,  and  chooses  better  in  their  stead,  and  so 
preserves  union.  \Vhercas,  fixed  and  unmoveable  officers, 
when  they  do  degenerate,  are  the  causes  of  all  disturban- 
ces and  confusions,  both  in  church  and  state. 
The  seventh  rule,  is, 

For  all  true  Christians  and  congregations  to  take  Christ 
alike  for  their  head,  and  not  to  set  up  visible  heads,  or 
ringleaders  to  themselves  of  men  ;  no,  not  of  the  best  of 
men.  For  whilst  some  said,  we  are  of  P«z// ;  others,  wc 
of  Apollos ;  others,  we  of  Cephas ;  they  were  all  in  this 
matter  carnal,  and  divided  both  from  Christ,  and  among 
themselves ;  whilst  several  set  up  several  heads,  whom 
they  especially  owned,  and  after  whom  they  were  called. 
Whereas,  each  that  belie\td  by  the  ministry  of  Paid^  or 
Apollos,  or  Cephas,  were,  through  the  same  faith  and  spirit 
with  them,  as  near  to  Christ  as  themselves  were  ;  and  so 
were  not  to  set  up  a  fellow  member  as  a  head,  to  the  di- 
vision  of  the  body.  I  say,  each  believer  and  communion 
of  saints  hath  Christ  equally  for  their  head,  and  so  ought 
not  to  set  up  any  outward  or  visible  head  for  them  to  join 
to  ;  for  this  is  to  rend  the  body  in  pieces,  and  to  work 
great  division  and  distraction  among  the  faithful. 

And  therefore  I  conceive  it  is  a  mistake  among  some 
brethren,  to  call  the  congregations  of  Christ  by  the  names 
of  men,  though  godly  and  eminent ;  and  to  say,  Mr. 
such  a  one's  church,  or  Mr.  such  a  one's  church  ;  and  so 
to  put  the  church  under  several  heads,  which  works  dis- 
tinction and  division  ;  \vhereas  they  should  rather  say, 
the  church  of  Christ  in  such  or  such  a  place  ;  it  being 
wherever  it  is,  one  church,  under  one  head  and  governor, 
Jesus  Christ. 

And  therefore  let  us  know,  that  it  is  a  part  of  the  mys- 
tery of  iniquity,  for  the  church,  or  faithful,  to  have  one 
or  more  \  isible  heads  to  go  to,  not  being  contented  with 


244  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

Christ  alone.  And  though  this  hath  been,  and  will  be 
the  practice  of  the  carnal  church  ;  yet  the  spiritual  church 
and  people  do  only  own,  and  have  recourse  to  Christ, 
their  true  and  spiritual  head.  And  so  they  all,  living 
as  one  body,  and  members  one  of  another,  under  one 
holy  head,  live  all  in  invincible  peace  and  unity  ;  whereas 
difference  of  outward  heads  and  ringleaders,  always  breeds 
difference  and  divisions  among  Christians. 
The  eighth  rule,  is, 

For  the  true  church  to  keep  out  all  error  in  doctrine ; 
seeing  it  breeds,  not  only  division,  but  confusion  and 
ruin  also  in  the  church.  Wherefore,  the  congregations 
of  Christ  must  be  the  more  careful  and  watchful  in  this 
matter.  When  some  false  apostles  taught  at  Ant'wch^  that 
Except  Chi'istiansivere  circumcisedafterthe  manner  of  Mo- 
ses, they  could  not  be  saved;  which  was  a  most  dangerous  er- 
ror against  Christ  and  the  gospel ;  the  whole  church,  first  at 
Antioch,  and  presently  after  at  Jerusalem,  met  together  to 
keep  it  out ;  which  accordingly,  through  God,  they  did. 
So  that  whatever  doctrines  arc  evidently  against  the  word 
of  truth,  and  gospel  of  our  salvation,  the  church  is  to  take 
care  to  keep  them  out,  as  it  loves  its  own  peace  and 
unity. 

Now  if  any  say.  By  what  means  may  the  church  be  able 
to  keep  out  error  ? 

I  answer,  It  may  certainly  keep  out  error  by  these 
means. 

1.  Let  the  church  suffer  none  to  teach  among  them, 
that  are  not  themselves  taught  of  God  ;  though  they  have 
never  so  great  natural  parts,  and  never  so  much  human 
learning.  For,  when  they  are  the  teachers  that  are  tau  ght 
of  God,  they  will  only  teach  the  truth,  which  they  have 
heard  and  learned  from  God :  And  the  line  of  every 
man's  teaching  must  extend  no  further.  But  when  they 
teach  that  are  not  so  taught,  they  ^vill,  in  many  things, 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  245 

\i!ry  from  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  ;  yea,  and  under 
a  form  of  sound  doctrine,  will  give  forth  an  unsound  and 
false  sense,  to  the  deceiving  of  many  that  are  weak  and 
simple  ;  and  so,  under  the  pretence  of  Christ,  will  utter 
the  voice  of  a  stranger,  and  endanger  the  mis-leading  of 
some  sheep  for  a  time. 

2.  Let  the  faithful  examine  every  thing  that  is  taught 
by  the  word  of  God,  and  not  receive  doctrines  upon 
trust  from  their  teachers,  who,  through  the  reputation 
of  their  learning  and  holiness,  may  easily  lead  them  una- 
wares into  error.  And  therefore,  let  the  church  com- 
pare the  present  doctrine,  preached  and  printed,  and 
generally  received,  with  the  doctrines  of  the  prophets  and 
apostles,  which,  without  doubt,  is  sure  and  certain,  seeing 
those  holy  men  nf  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Spirit:  And  \vhatever  doctrine  shall  be  found  contrary 
to,  or  different  from  that  doctrine,  let  them  reject  it  as 
reprobate  silver ;  seeing  the  church  is  to  be  built  upon  no 
other  foundation  of  doctrine,  than  that  of  the  prophets 
and  apostles.  And  though,  through  God's  especial  good- 
ness, the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  be  again  revived  among 
us  at  this  present  time,  yet  ought  \\e  not  to  sit  down 
content  with  the  present  state  of  things  ;  but  to  search 
and  see  if  our  present  doctrine  do  not  yet  err  from  the  pri- 
mitive purity  and  brightness  of  the  gospel,  and  that  in  many 
considerable  points ;  and  whether  some,  or  many  corrup- 
tions do  not  yet  remain  among  us  to  be  purged  out,  by  the 
light  and  truth  of  the  apostles  doctrine. 

Wherefore,  to  conclude  this  thing,  let  us  know  that  the 
church  cannot  possibly  keep  out  error,  longer  than  it  pre- 
cisely keeps  itself  to  the  bare  and  naked  word  of  God,  and 
tries  all  doctrines  of  their  teachers  bv  it. 

5.  The  church,  that  it  may  be  able  to  keep  out  errors, 
must  desire  of  God  the  Spirit  which  he  hath  promised  ;  that 
this  Spirit  of  truth  may  lead  them  into  the  true  and  sj^ritual 


246  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

knowledge  of  the  word,  and  understanding  of  the  mind 
of  Christ.  For  no  man  can  make  any  right  judgment  of 
the  word  he  hears  or  reads,  without  the  teaching  of  the 
Spirit.  And  by  this  anointing,  as  we  shall  be  certainly 
taught  which  is  truth,  so  also  shall  we  discern  which  is 
error,  and  that  by  so  clear  and  true  a  light,  that  we  shall 
not  mistake.  Wherefore,  Christians  must  take  heed,  that 
they  do  not  think,  with  carnal  people,  that  the  ability  to 
judge  of  divine  truths  and  human  and  antichristian  errors, 
depends  upon  human  learning,  arts  and  sciences ;  for 
thus  it  will  come  to  pass,  that  they,  judging  themselves 
unable  to  judge  of  matters  of  religion,  will  wholly  leave 
the  judgment  of  them  to  those  whom  they  conceive  after 
this  manner  learned :  whereby  they  leave  open  a  wide 
door  through  which  the  teachers  may  bring  in  all  sorts 
of  errors  upon  them.  But  believers  must  know,  that  the 
gift  of  the  Spirit  only,  without  all  human  learning,  is  suffi- 
cient to  teach  us  perfectly  which  is  truth  and  which  error  ; 
and  to  make  us  able  to  judge  of  all  doctrines  of  men  and 
angels  ;  and  that  all  the  human  learning  in  the  world,  with- 
out the  Spirit,  is  not  able  to  do  this.  And  so  a  poor,  plain 
countryman,  by  the  Spirit,  which  he  hath  received,  is  bet- 
ter able  to  judge  of  truth  and  error,  touching  the  things  of 
God,  than  the  greatest  philosopher,  scholar,  or  doctor  in 
the  world,  that  is  destitute  of  it. 

4.  Another  notable  means  to  keep  error  out  of  the 
tihurch,  is  to  restore  in  it  that  most  ancient  gospel- 
ordinance  of  prophesying ;  which,  how  much  soever  it 
hath  been  out  of  use  during  the  reign  of  antichrist,  yet 
is  no  other  than  the  very  commandment  of  the  Lord,  as 
Pa«/wilncsscth,  1  Coi\  xiv.  31.  where  he  sailh.  When  the 
whole  chnrcJi  is  met  together^  ijoii  may  all  prophesy  one  by 
one,  that  all  may  learn^  and  all  may  he  comforted  ;  and  adds, 
ver.  37.  Jfany  man  think  himself  to  be  a  prophet,  or  spiritu- 
al, let  him  acknowledge,  that  the  things  I  write  unto  you 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  047 

are  the  coimnajidmejits  of  the  Lord.  Wherefore,  brethren, 
labour  that  ye  may  prophesy.  So  that  prophesying  in  the 
church,  is  God's  own  commandment,  as  every  prophet  and 
spiritual  man  must  acknowledge. 

Now  this  divine  ordinance  of  prophesying,  is  three  ways 
helpful  to  keep  out  error. 

1.  For  fast,  When  one  man  only  speaks  in  tiie  church, 
and  no  man  is  suffered  to  speak  besides  him,  as  he  is  very 
subject  to  be  puffed  up,  and  to  conceit  that  "  wisdom  only 
dwells  with  him  ;'*  so  he  is  more  ready  to  vent  the 
thoughts  of  his  own  heart,  and  to  speak  the  dreams  and 
visions  of  his  own  head.  But  when  he  knows  the  word 
of  God  is  not  come  to  him  only,  but  to  others  also,  and 
that  they  have  wisdom  and  spirit  to  speak  in  the  church 
as  well  as  he,  this  will  both  keep  down  his  pride,  and 
make  him  careful  what  he  speaks,  when  he  knows  there 
are  those  present  in  the  congregation,  that  are  able  to  re- 
prove his  darkness  by  light.  And  this  prophesying,  is  a 
strong  bit  and  bridle  in  the  jaws  of  error,  that  it  cannot  run 
that  race  in  the  church  it  doth  desire. 

2.  When  one  man  only  speaks,  and  the  doctrine  he 
preaches  proves  to  be  erroneous,  as  it  is  ordinarily  in  the 
common  ministry  of  the  kingdom,  it  comes  to  pass,  that 
error  is  not  only  preached,  but  goes  away  uncontroled, 
and  no  way  is  left  for  the  restraining  error  proportionable 
to  that  of  propagating  it ;  no  body  being  permitted  to 
speak,  to  keep  the  people  from  the  poison  of  it.  And 
thus,  whilst  the  liberty  of  public  speaking  is  permitted 
only  to  one  man  in  a  congregation,  and  to  one  sort  of 
men  in  the  kingdom,  any  error  may  suddenly  be  spread 
over  the  whole  kingdom  (as  we  see  by  daily  experience) 
without  any  sufficient  and  proportionable  remedy  to  pre- 
vent it. 

But  now,  when  the  right  or  power  of  prophesying  is 
allowed  to  the  whole  cluirch,  the  minister  can  no  sooner 


248  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

vent  any  error,  but  there  is  some  believer  or  other,  whose 
heart  God  shall  move,  ready  to  convince  it  by  the  word  of 
God  :  And  so,  error  is  as  soon  discovered  and  detected, 
as  it  is  published  ;  and  as  soon  destroyed  as  it  is  detected  : 
the  word  of  God,  though  from  a  private  Christian,  being 
more  mighty  to  destroy  error,  than  error  can  be  to  uphold 
itself  against  the  word. 

3.  Prophesying  is  a  most  useful  means  to  keep  out 
error,  in  this  respect,  because  it  gives  the  church  light 
how  to  choose  faithful  teachers  out  of  its  own  children, 
when  it  stands  in  need  of  any  supply  of  this  kind.  See- 
ing, through  the  exercise  of  prophesying,  the  church 
knows  and  discerns  which  of  it  members  are  most  spiri- 
tual, and  most  clearly  taught  of  God  in  divine  things  ; 
and  who  have  received  the  most  excellent  gifts  from 
Christ,  and  so  are  most  fit  and  able  to  hold  forth  the 
word  of  life,  in  most  evidence  and  power  of  the  Spirit, 
that  so  the  church  may  be  supplied  with  pastors  of  her 
own  sons,  and  not  seek  after  unknown  persons ;  nor  be 
constrained  to  use  mercenary  men,  who  have  been  brought 
up  to  preaching,  as  their  trade  to  live  by ;  whereupon,  but 
tew  of  them  can  be  expected  to  be  other  than  hirelings, 
who  will  make  their  ministry  serve  their  own  advantage, 
and  frame  the  scripture  to  found  such  doctrine  as  may  best 
serve  their  own  turns. 

And  in  these  three  respects,  the  use  of  prophesying  helps 
the  church  to  keep  out  error. 

Now  if  any  shall  object  against  this,  That  it  may  seem 
very  rash  and  absurd,  after  an  able,  learned  man  hath  spo- 
ken in  the  church,  for  an  unlearned  mechanic  presently  to 
rise  up  and  speak. 

I  return  this  answer  ;  That  the  true  people  of  God  are 
all  taught  of  God ;  and  the  true  church  is  a  kingdom  of 
prophets,  through  the  anointing  of  the  Spirit;  and  so 
they  esteem  not  that  to  be  learning  in  the  church,  which 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  249 

is  from  man,  but  only  that  which  is  heard  and  learned 
from  the  Father  ;  and  so  they  neither  reckon  him  that 
hath  human  learning,  to  be  learned  here;  nor  him  that  is 
destitute  to  be  ignorant.  Yea  farther,  in  this  society, 
God  will  have  him  who  is  most  unlearned,  according  to 
human  literature,  to  speak,  that  the  virtues  of  Christ 
may  the  more  evidently  appear  in  the  saints ;  and  the 
knowledge  of  heavenly  and  divine  truths  may  not  be 
attributed  to  gifts,  parts,  learning  or  studies,  but  only 
to  his  Spirit,  which  can  even  in  a  moment,  teach  the  ig- 
norant, and  make  the  simple  wise  :  and  open  the  mouths 
of  babes  and  sucklings,  yea,  and  the  very  dumb,  to  per- 
fect his  praise  by.  Whereas,  when  a  man  of  great  parts 
and  learning,  speaks  with  wisdom  and  knowledge  in  the 
church,  this  is  commonly  attributed  to  his  wit  and  study, 
and  so  God  loses  all  or  most  of  his  praise  ;  but  if  a  plain, 
ignorant  man,  shall  speak  spiritually  and  divinely,  and 
hold  forth  the  mystery  of  the  gospel  in  a  clear  light,  then 
men  must  needs  acknowledge  God  to  be  author  of  such 
grace,  and  say,  *'  God  is  in  him  of  a  truth  :"  and  so  God  is 
acknowledged  the  author  of  his  own  gifts,  and  he  himself  is 
admired  in  his  saints. 

It  will  be  again  objected. 

Yea,  but  if  every  one  have  liberty  to  speak  in  the 
church,  will  not  this  breed  great  confusion  and  distur- 
bance ? 

I  answer,  no ;  not  in  the  true  church,  which  are  a 
people  met  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and  who  have  Christ 
himself  present  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  so  every  one  de- 
means himself  answerably  to  the  presence  of  Christ ; 
that  is,  in  the  wisdom,  meekness,  and  modesty  of  the  Spirit. 
And  there  also  every  one  speaks,  not  after  the  rashness  of 
his  own  brain,  but  according  to  the  revelation  of  God, 
as  it  is  written,  If  any  thing  be  revealed  to  another^  let  the 
first  hold  his  peace  :    So  that  no  man  is  to  speak  here 

I  i 


250  i'HE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

but  by  revelation  or  an  inward  teaching  and  discovery 
of  God.  And  where  men  speak  thus,  as  the  true  church 
is  to  speak,  there  can  be  no  confusion,  but  most  excellent 
order  and  decency.  Yea,  God  himself,  who  is  not  the 
author  of  confusion,  but  of  peace,  in  all  the  churches  of 
the  saints,  he  hath  appointed  and  commanded  prophesy- 
ing as  the  way  of  peace ;  and  therefore  do  not  thou  dare 
to  say  it  is  the  way  of  confusion,  seeing  God  knows  bet- 
ter how  to  order  the  affairs  of  his  own  church  than  thou 
dost. 

Wherefore,  seeing  prophesying  is  God's  ordinance  in 
the  church,  for  the  peace  of  it ;  if  any  sort  of  men  shall, 
notwithstanding  what  hath  been  said,  still  attribute  to  them- 
selves a  proper  and  incommunicable  ministry,  or  the  only 
power  to  speak  in  the  church  ;  I  shall  but  use  the  apostles 
words  to  them,  and  so  pass  on  from  this  thing  ;  IVhat^  came 
the  word  of  God  only  unto  yon  ?  and  is  it  to  come  out  only 
from  you  ?  1  Cor.  xiv.  36.  Nay,  it  is  come  to  every  be- 
liever as  well  as  to  you  ;  and  it  is  also  to  come  forth  from 
all  of  them,  unto  whom  it  is  come  ;  seeing  they  cannot  but 
speak  what  they  do  believe. 

5.  The  last  means  I  shall  name,  whereby  the  true 
church  may  keep  error  out  of  itself,  is,  to  exercise  its  pow- 
er in  judging  doctrines  ;  as  P^w/ commandeth,  1  Cor.  xiv. 
'29.  Let  the  Prophets  speak ^  two  or  three ^  and  let  the  rest 
Judge.  If  they  that  publish  doctrine  should  also  be  judg- 
es of  it,  and  the  people  be  bound  to  subscribe  to  their 
judgment,  error  would  not  only  by  this  means  have  op- 
portunity to  be  vented,  but  would  also  be  established  and 
confirmed  without  the  least  contradiction.  But  now 
God  hath  appointed  it  otherwise  in  the  church  ;  for  who- 
ever speaks  there,  the  hearers  are  to  judge  of  the  truth 
of  the  doctrine  ;  and  accordingly  are  either  to  receive  it 
or  reject  it,  having  power  to  do  either  as  they  see  occa- 
sion ;   and  so  error  cannot  prevail  in  that  church  where 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  251 

the  faithful  have  liberty  to  judge  of  all  doctrines,  and  do 
exercise  that  liberty.  -But  where  they  that  publish  doc- 
trine are  also  the  judges  of  it,  and  the  people  are  bound 
up  to  the  doctrine  of  the  teachers,  and  maj  not  question 
or  contradict  it ;  there  error  reigns  as  in  its  proper  king- 
dom. 

And  thus,  by  these  means,  error  may  certainly  be  kept 
out  of  the  church,  that  the  church  mav  live  in  truth  and 
peace. 

But  here  now  a  great  question  ^^  ill  be  mo^  ed,  and  that 
is  this, 

Whether  the  magistrate  hath  not  power  to  suppress  er- 
ror by  the  sword ;  and  whether  the  church  may  not 
use  this  remedy  against  error,  as  wtW  as  those  before 
named  '? 

I  answer ;  That  many  men  of  great  eminency  have  at- 
tributed such  a  power  to  the  magistrate ;  and  have  done 
him  the  honour,  besides  his  throne  in  the  world,  to  erect 
him  a  throne  in  God's  kingdom,  at  the  least  equal  to 
Christ:  thinking  that  religion  would  soon  be  lost,  if  he 
should  not  uphold  it.  And  to  make  this  good,  they 
have  produced  many  scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament, 
which  seem  to  arm  the  magistrate  against  the  authors  and 
spreaders  of  errors. 

But  I  desire  the  wise  hearted  to  consider,  whether  as 
clear  scriptures  may  not  be  produced  out  of  the  Old 
Testament  to  prove,  that  temporal  power  in  the  world 
belongs  to  ecclesiastical  men,  as  that  spiritual  power  in 
the  church  belongs  to  wordly  magistrates  ?  And  to  this 
purpose  (because  I  would  not  be  too  large  in  this  matter 
now)  I  shall  desire  him  who  hath  a  mind  to  be  instructed 
to  read  and  weigh  the  reply  of  the  French  Prelates  to  the 
lord  Peters,  which  he  may  find  in  Fox^s  book  of  Martyrs, 
vol.  1.  p.  467. 


252  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &e. 

Wherefore,  seeing  the  scriptures  of  tlie  Old  Testament 
are  every  whit  as  strong  to  give  ministers  power  in  tem- 
poral matters,  as  magistrates  in  spiritual ;  it  is  without 
all  question,  the  only  sure  and  safe  way  to  determine  this 
cause  by  the  New  Testament,  or  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
and  the  apostles,  by  whom  in  these  last  days  God  hath 
spoken  fully  to  the  church,  and  after  whose  doctrine 
there  is  no  other  word  to  be  expected.  And  because  herein 
I  find  no  such  power  given  to  the  civil  magistrate,  to  judge 
and  determine  in  spiritual  matters,  therefore  I  conclude  he 
hath  none. 

Now  if  any  shall  say.  This  is  a  great  wrong  to  the  ma- 
gistrate, to  thrust  his  power  out  of  the  church,  and  to  con- 
fine it  to  the  world. 

I  answer ;  That  to  make  the  church  an  ecclesiastical 
kingdom,  standing  in  outward  laws,  orders,  authority, 
dignity,  promotion,  government  ;  all  which  are  to  be 
granted,  established,  and  managed  by  state  power,  and 
yet  to  deny  the  magistrate's  authority  and  influence  in 
these  things,  which  flow  from  his  own  po\ver,  and  con- 
sist in  it  and  by  it  ;  this  is  to  straiten  and  to  wrong 
him  indeed.  But  to  declare  the  true  church  to  be  a  spiri- 
tual kingdom,  as  Christ  hath  made  it,  and  not  at  all  of 
this  world,  but  the  very  kingdom  of  heaven  upon  earth, 
and  thereupon  to  deny  him  power  in  it ;  is  no  more  to 
prejudice  the  magistrate,  than  to  deny  him  power  in 
heaven.  Seeing  the  Son's  kingdom,  which  is  heaven  on 
earth,  is  to  be  as  free  from  wordly  and  human  power,  as 
the  Father's  kingdom,  which  is  heaven  in  heaven  :  Christ 
being  to  be  all  in  all,  in  this,  as  God  is  to  be  all  in  all,  in 
that. 

And  so  to  deny  the  magistrate  that  power  which  Christ 
never  granted  him,  is  no  wrong  to  him  at  all ;  but  to 
grant  and  gratify  him  with  such  power,  would  be  a 
great  and  intolerable  wrong  to  the  truth  and  church  of 


IX  THE  CHUitCH  OF  CHRIST.  053 

Ciirist ;  as  in  many  other  things,  so  in  this  matter  we  are 
speaking  of,  as  you  may  see  in  the  following  particulars. 

For  the  putting  the  power  of  the  s^^■ord  into  the  magis- 
trate's hands  to  suj.'press  error,  is  attended  with  these 
evils. 

1.  Hereby  the  magistrate  is  made  a  judge  of  doctrines, 
and  hath  ])0wer  given  him  to  pronounce  which  is  truth 
vrad  ^vhich  is  error;  being  yet  no  more  infallible,  yea, 
every  whic  as  liable  to  err,  as  the  meanest  of  the  people. 
And  what  magistrate  is  there,  that  hath  the  power  of  the 
sword,  l^ut  will  uphold  his  own  religion  and  judgment  to 
be  the  truth,  though  ever  so  false;  and  will  sentence 
whatever  is  contrary  thereunto  to  be  error,  though  ever 
so  true  ?  And  so  the  truth  and  word  of  God,  wdiich  only 
is  to  judge  all,  and  itself  to  be  judged  of  none,  by  this 
means  is  made  subject  to  the  judgment  of  vain  man,  and 
shall  either  be  truth  or  error,  as  he  pleases  to  call  it ; 
and  error,  when  it  pleaseth  the  magistrate,  shall  be 
adorned  with  the  glorious  title  of  truth  ;  and  shall  have 
his  authority  to  countenance  and  uphold  it.  And  how 
great  a  prejudice  this  hath  been,  and  is,  to  the  truth, 
and  how  great  an  advantage  to  error,  it  is  very  easy  to 
judge. 

Now  if  any  shall  say,  that  the  magistrate  may  not  judge 
of  doctrine  by  himself,  and  use  his  sword  accordingly  ; 
but  he  may  take  to  him  the  counsel  and  advice  of  godly 
and  able  ministers,  as  now  of  the  Assembly  ;  and  so  m.ay 
judge  and  punish  according  to  their  judgment.  *) 

I  answer ;  Is  it  fit  that  the  magistrate,  in  so  great  mat- 
ters, should  be  blindfolded  himself,  and  see  only  by  other 
men's  eyes  ? 

Again,  if  the  magistrate  judge  according  to  the  judg- 
ment of  the  ministers,  and,  depending  more  on  their 
knowledge  than   his    own.  shall  draw  hi'^  sword  against 


254  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  8.c. 

whomsoever  they  shall  persuade  him  ;  what  higher  honour 
doth  he  attain  to  in  all  this,  than  to  become  their  execu- 
tioner? Yea,  if  he  punish  amiss,  he  may  prove  a  very 
murderer.  Pilate,  in  this  case,  may  be  a  sea-mark  to  all 
the  magistrates  in  the  world ;  who,  following  the  council 
and  judgment  of  the  high  priests,  put  the  Son  of  God 
himself  to  death,  as  if  he  had  been  the  son  of  perdition  : 
which,  I  say,  may  serve  for  a  sufficient  warning,  to  the 
end  of  the  world,  to  all  maeistrates,  that  thev  confide  not 
on  the  judgment  of  the  clergy,  but  that  they  be  sure  them- 
selves in  what  they  do. 

2.  The  putting  power  into  the  magistrate's  hands,  to 
suppress  error  by  the  sword,  gives  him  full  opportunity 
to  destroy  and  slay  the  true  children  of  God,  if,  at  any 
time,  he  shall  mistake,  and  judge  them  heretics.  For  that 
power  ^vhich  men  ignorantly  allow  a  godly  magistrate 
against  true  heretics,  will  all  magistrates  arrogate  to  them- 
selves, as  their  just  due,  against  all  those  that  differ  from 
themselves  in  matters  of  religion,  though  their  judgment, 
who  so  differ  from  them,  be  ever  so  true.  And  thus  the 
magistrate,  who  is  a  most  fallible  judge  in  these  things, 
instead  of  tares,  may  pluck  up  the  wheat ;  and  kill  the 
faithful,  instead  of  heretics,  at  his  own  pleasure,  till  he  have 
destroyed  all  the  faithful  in  the  land. 

Wherefore,  let  all  Christians  take  heed  how  they  favoiu- 
the  magistrate  with  this  power,  to  punish  those  whom  he 
judges  heretics ;  for  if  he  shall  change  his  mind,  as  he 
easily  may,  seeing  he  is  but  a  man,  or  if  another  shall  suc- 
ceed him  of  another  mind,  that  very  sword  may  be  sheath- 
ed in  their  o\vn  bowels,  which  now  they  draw  forth  against 
other  men's. 

3.  When  the  magistrate  assumes  power  to  himself  to 
suppress  error,  this  makes  ministers  negligent  in  studying 
the  scriptures  ;  the  magistrate  doing  that  by  force,  whicli 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  255 

they  ought  to  do  by  the  word,  and  so  saves  them  their 
labour :  For,  when  once  the  nunisters  shall  have  so  far 
interested  themselves  in  the  magistrate,  as  to  procure  him 
to  call  for  the  gaoler  and  executioner,  against  whomso- 
ever shall  oppose  their  doctrine,  they  will  then  need  no 
great  pains  to  study  the  word,  that  they  may  l^e  able  to 
convince  the  gain-sayers,  and  persuade  the  rebellious, 
seeing  the  magistrate's  sword,  at  all  adventure,  is  to  de- 
fend their  doctrine ;  and  all  the  objections  against  it, 
either  from  reason  or  scripture,  the  hangman  is  to  answer. 
And  so  the  pastors,  having  their  work,  as  they  conceive, 
thus  done  for  them  to  their  hands,  do  commonly  betake 
themselves  to  ease  and  idleness,  and  to  the  prosecution  and 
enjoyment  of  worldly  things,  and  grow  careless  and  negli- 
gent of  the  scripture  and  word  of  God  ;  whereuix)n  error 
steals  in  apace  upon  the  teachers  themselves ;  whereby,  by 
degrees,  they  corrupt  and  seduce  very  many«  And  thus, 
whilst  the  magistrate  thinks  to  chase  out  error  before  him 
one  way,  he  lets  it  in  behind  him  seven  ways. 

4.  This  takes  men  off  from  the  certain  means  to  destroy 
error,  which  is  the  word ;  and  leads  them  to  that  which 
can  never  destroy  it,  which  is  the  sword  of  the  magistrate; 
and  so  the  devil  herein  hath  a  notable  stratagem ;  for  he 
fears  not  all  the  swords  and  halters,  and  weapons  and 
prisons  in  the  world,  to  destroy  error  withal,  but  as  se- 
curely contemns  all  these  things,  as  Leinatha7i  a  bulrush ; 
and  yet  doth  earnestly  stir  up  the  world  to  use  tliese 
things  against  him,  and  his  errors,  as  the  only  means  to 
subdue  him.  Whereas,  the  only  thing  he  fears,  is  the 
word  of  God,  which  is  that  mighty  power,  that  can 
bind  the  devil,  and  destroy  his  kingdom,  and  break  down 
all  his  strongholds  of  error  and  heresy  ;  and  he  is  in  no  sort 
able  to  stand  out  against  the  power  thereof.  Wherefore, 
in  his  great  cunning,  he  causes  men  to  lay  aside  this,  that 
is  able  to  prevail  against  him,  and  to  go  to  the  sword  of 


256  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

the  magistrate,  which  will  do  him  no  harm.  And  thus  the 
sword  of  the  magistrate,  presuming  to  lift  itself  up  against 
error,  instead  of  the  word  of  God,  is  so  far  from  destroying 
error,  that  it  upholds  it ;  and  strengthens  Satan's  kingdom, 
whilst  it  seems  to  destroy  it. 

By  these  things  it  appears,  how  great  an  error  and  evil 
it  is  for  any  to  attribute  to  the  magistrate,  or  for  the  magis- 
trate to  assume  to  himself,  power  to  suppress  error  by  the 
sword. 

Quest,  If  any  shall  yet  demand.  Whether  the  magistrate 
can  do  nothing  at  all  towards  the  suppressing  of  error  ? 

Ansxv.  I  answer,  This  he  may  do  :  he  may  and  ought : 
and  if  he  be  a  godly  man,  he  will  countenance  and  encour- 
age faithful  ministers  (that  are  called  of  God,  and  anointed 
by  the  Spirit)  to  this  work  of  the  gospel ;  and  having  done 
this,  he  need  not  trouble  himself  any  farther;  for  the  word 
preached  will  do  all  the  rest.  And  let  it  not  be  doubt- 
ed, but  if  the  truth  oi  God  do  enter  the  lists  against  error, 
it  will  be  infinitely  able  to  prevail  of  itself  alone,  without 
calling  in  any  power,  or  borrowing  any  weapons  from  the 
world. 

The  ninth  rule,  is. 

By  no  means  to  enforce  uniformity  in  the  outward  orders 
and  discipline  of  the  church.  For  such  uniformit}-  hath 
been,  in  all  ages,  not  only  the  hindrance,  but  the  very  break- 
neck of  the  church's  peace  and  unity. 

No\v%  because  this  is  so  vehemently  and  strongly  urged 
by  the  unskilful  builders  of  this  age,  I  shall  the  more  fully 
acquaint  the  reader  with  the  state  of  this  business,  from 
the  very  beginning  of  the  gospel ;  and  shew  when  this 
part  of  the  mystery  of  iniquity  first  invaded  the  church  of 
God. 

Most  manifest  it  is,  that  the  apostles  and  disciples  of 
Christ,  were  only  intent  about  the  doctrine  of  salvation, 
and  so  accordingly,  preached  and  pressed  nothing  but  faith 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  257 

in  Christ,  and  love  to  all  the  saints ;  as  being  the  only 
necessary  things  which  christians  were  to  regard ;  And 
for  all  outward  rites,  and  ceremonies,  and  forms,  wherein 
Christ  hath  made  them  free,  they  commanded  them  to 
stand  fast  in  that  liberty(^).  And  so  they  gave  no  heed, 
nor  regard  to  the  observation  of  days  and  times,  neither 
bound  the  church  to  any  ceremonies  or  rites,  except 
those  necessary  things  mentioned,  Acts  ch.  xv.  to  wit, 
things  strangled,  and  blood,  which  was  then  ordained  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  not  without  urgent  and  necessary  cause. 
For  when  the  murdering  and  blood  of  infants,  was  com- 
monly laid  to  the  charge  of  christians  by  the  heathens, 
they  had  no  other  argument  to  help  themselves,  but  their 
own  law,  by  which  they  were  commanded  to  abstain 
from  the  blood  of  common  beasts,  much  more  from  the 
blood  of  innocent  men  And  therefore  that  law  seemeth  to 
be  given  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  also  for  the  same  end  to 
be  continued  in  the  church,  so  long  as  the  cause  there- 
of, that  is,  the  persecutions  of  the  heathen  Gentiles,  con- 
tinued. And  besides  these,  we  read  of  no  other  ceremo- 
nies or  rites,  which  the  apostles  greatly  regarded  ;  but 
left  christians  at  liberty  to  use  or  not  use  certain  cere_ 
monial  observations ;  such  as  days,  times,  places,  meats, 
drinks,  vestures,  and  all  such  other  things  ;  neither  was 
the  diversity  among  men  greatly  noted,  nor  any  uni- 
formity greatly  required.  Thus  christian  liberty  pre- 
vailed in  the  church,  and  christian  men  did  not  much 
struggle  about  indifferent  things,  till  the  Asians  and  Ro- 
mans began  to  disagree  about  Easter -day :  to  compose 
which  controversy,  FlycarpuSy  a  godly  martyr,  went  to 
Rome  (anno  157,  in  the  reign  of  Antonimis  Fins)  to 
AnicetuSy  then  bishop  there  :  and  though  these  two,  to 

(t)  Fox,  vol.  1.  p.  72. 

K  k 


258  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  Sec. 

wit,  Poly  car  pus  and  Anicetus,  differed  in  their  judgments  J 

and  opinions  in  this  matter,  yet  they  still  retained  chris- 
tian communion,  and  avoided  all  breach  of  peace(w).  Af- 
terwards, in  the  reign  of  Commodus^  the  christians  en- 
jo)  ing  seme  respite  from  persecution,  began  to  contend 
again  among  themselves,  about  the  ceremony  of  Easter  ; 
and  neither  yet  did  the  difference  prevail  so  far,  as  to 
break  the  bond  of  love  and  communion  of  brotherly 
life  :  though  they  of  the  JFest^  pretending  the  tradition 
o^  Paul  Aw^  Peter,  (wliich  yet  indeed  was  the  tradition 
of  Hermes  and  Pius,  and  not  theirs)  kept  one  day  ;  and 
they  of  Asia,  pretending  the  tradition  of  John,  kept 
another.  After  this,  Plctor,  bishop  of  Borne,  rose  up, 
a  great  stickler  in  the  controversy  of  Easter,  and  would 
needs  have  excommunicated  the  churches  of  Asia,  for 
not  yielding  to  his  judgment ;  to  whom,  Ineneus  writ- 
ing, touching  the  diversity  of  outward  things  used  by 
the  primitive  christians,  hath  these  words  :  "  Notwith- 
"  standing  the  variety  of  ceremonies  among  the  former 
"  christians,  they  all  kept  peace  among  themselves  ;  and 
'*  we,  saith  he,  still  retain  it ;  and  the  difference  of  our 
^'  fasting,  commends  the  unity  of  our  faith(a::)."  And 
thus  the  doctrine  of  christian  liberty  remained  sound  and 
entire,  till  this  Ficto?'''s  time,  which  was  a7i?io  200.  And 
he  earnestly  endeavoured  to  draw,  or  rather  iiiforce,  the 
churches  ot  Asia  to  his  opinion.  And  then  began  the 
uniformity  of  keeping  that  feast  to  be  first  required,  as 
a  thing  necessary  ;  and  all  they  to  be  accounted  as  he- 
retics and  schismatics,  who  dissented  from  the  judg- 
ment of  the  bishop  oi  Rome. 

Now,  against  this  judgment  o^  Victor,  Poly  crates,  and 
many  other  bishops  and  brethren  of  Asia,  declared  ;  and 
the  matter  had  burst  out  into  a  great  flame,  had  not  some 

(u)  Iraen.  Ec  Mehex.  1.  4. 

(jt)  Nihilo  tamen  minus  omnes  illi,  pacem  inter  se  retinuerunt, 
&  retinemus  etiamnum  ;  h  jejunii  dissonantia,  fidei  concordiam 
eoiDmendal. 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  259 

i;;odly  men  of  those  times,  brought  forth  the  word  of 
God  to  queiieh  it.  Among  whom,  Irssneus,  as  Euse- 
(jiiis  relates  (?/),  speaks  to  this  effect,  "  That  the  variety 
"  and  difference  of  cei-emonies,  is  no  strange  matter  in 
"  the  church  of  Christ,  when  as  this  variety  is  not  only 
"  in  the  day  of  Easter,  but  also  in  the  manner  of  fasting, 
"  and  in  divers  other  usages  among  the  christians.  For 
"  some  fast  one,  some  two  days,  some  more;  and  others, 
"  counting  40  hours,  both  day  and  night,  reckon  that 
"  for  their  full  fast  day.  And  this  so  divers  fashion  of 
"  fasting  in  the  church,  began  not  in  our  time,  but  in 
"  theirs  who  lived  before  us.  And  yet  notwithstanding, 
"  they  with  all  this  diversity,  were  in  unity  amongst 
"  themselves;  and  so  are  we:  Neither  doth  this  difter- 
"  cnce  of  ceremonies  any  thing  hinder,  but  rather  com- 
"  mend  the  agreement  of  our  faith." 

And  he  bringeth  forth  the  examples  of  the  fathers,  of 
Telesphorus^  Pius,  Anicetiis,  Soter,  Eleutherius,  and 
such  others,  who  neither  observed  the  same  usage  them- 
selves, nor  prescribed  it  to  others;  and  yet  notwithstand- 
ing, kept  christian  charity  with  such  as  came  to  com- 
municate with  them,  though  not  observing  the  same 
form  of  things  which  they  observed;  as  well  appeared  by 
Paly  car  pus  and  Anicetus;  who,  although  they  agreed 
not  in  one  uniform  custom  of  rites,  Communionem  ta- 
men  i7iter  se  hahuerunt,  yet  had  communion  with  one 
another.  And  thus  Irz^neus,  in  his  practice  answering 
his  name,  persuaded  the  peace  of  the  church,  notwith- 
standing diversity  of  forms  and  rites:  And  so  christian 
liberty  was  still  preserved  in  the  church  against  the  t}-- 
ranny  of  uniformity,  till  the  Nicene  council. 

And  farther;  Socrates,  the  writer  of  the  ecclesiastical 
histor}-,  who  lived  after  the  days  of  Theodosius,  speaking 

(u)  Euseb.  1.  5.  c.  26. 


260  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  See. 

of  the  fasting  before  Easter,  saith  (r),  "  The  christians 
"  that  dwell  at  Rome,  fast  three  weeks  continually  before 
*'  Easter,  besides  the  sabbath  and  the  Sunday;  but  those 
'*  that  dwell  in  Illyria,  and  all  Greece,  and  Alexandria^ 
"  fast  six  weeks  before  Easter. ^^  And,  speaking  of  the 
several  sorts  of  fasting,  in  several  churches,  saith,  "  And 
"  because  none  can  bring  forth  any  commandment,  writ- 
"  ten  of  this  matter,  it  is  plain,  that  the  apostles  left  this 
^'  fast  free  to  every  man's  mind  and  will;  that  no  man 
"  might  be  compelled  by  fear  and  necessity,  to  do  that 
"  which  is  good." 

And  in  the  same  chapter  he  relates  many  different 
forms  and  usages  in  several  christian  churches,  and  con- 
cludes that  matter  thus:  "  But,  saith  he  {a),  to  commit 
"  to  writing  all  the  rites  of  cuhrches,  that  are  used  in 
"  each  city  and  country,  as  it  would  be  very  troublesome, 
"so  hardly  could  it  be  done." 

And  yet  farther;  I  find  that  Austin,  who  was  sent  in- 
to England  by  Pope  Gregory,  anno  598,  among  other 
questions  to  the  Pope,  propounds  this  as  one;  "  That 
"  seeing  there  is  but  one  faith,  how  it  should  happen, 
"that  the  customs  and  ceremonies  of  the  churches 
"  should  be  so  divers?" 

And  Gregory  returns  this  answer,  "  The  custom  of 
"  the  church  of  Rome,  what  it  is,  you  know;  wherein 
"  you  have  been  brought  up  from  your  youth:  but  ra- 
"  ther  it  pleaseth  me  better,  that  whether  it  be  in  the 
"  church  ol  Rome,  or  in  any  French  church,  where  ye 
"  find  any  thing  that  seemeth  better,  to  the  service  and 
"pleasing  of  God,  that  ye  choose  the  same;  ajid  so  in- 

(z)  Perspicuum  est,  aposlolos  liberam  potestatem  in  eadem, 
cuj usque  mcnti  &  avDitrio  permisisse,  ut  quisque  nee  metu,  ner 
necessitate  induclus,  quod  bonum  sit  ageret.     Socrat.  l.  5.  c.  19. 

(a)  Verum  onncs  ecclcsiarum  ritus,  qui  in  sintjuiis  urbibus  rc- 
gionibusque  usurpantur,  scriptis  niandarc,  ut  valde  laboriosum 
est,  ita  vix  aut  ne  vix  quidcm  fieri  potest. 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  261 

"fer,  and  bring  into  the  English  church  (which  is  yet 
"  new  in  the  faith)  the  best  and  choicest  things,  chos- 
"  en  out  of  many  churches.  For  things  are  not  to  be 
"  beloved  for  the  place's  sake,  but  the  place  is  to  be  be- 
"  loved  for  the  things  that  are  good.  Wherefore,  such 
*'  things  as  are  good,  godly  and  religious,  those  choose 
"  out  of  all  churches,  and  introduce  among  your  people, 
"  that  they  may  take  root  in  the  minds  of  Englishmen.'' 

So  that  yet  you  see,  the  church  was  not  enslaved  by  any 
enforced  uniformity,  but  kept  its  own  christian  freedom, 
till  Antichrist  grev/  up  to  more  height,  and  got  the  se- 
cular power  of  princes  to  do  what  he  listed  in  the  church; 
and  then,  he  and  his  clergy  made  laAVs  of  all  that  seemed 
good  in  their  own  eyes,  and  enforced  men  to  them 
against  their  wills.  And  thus  he  reigned  for  many  hun- 
dred years  together,  till  the  determinate  time  of  the  apos- 
tacy  began  to  be  fulfilled;  and  then  God  poured  forth  his 
Spirit  upon  some  chosen  servants  of  his,  to  oppose  An- 
tichrist, as  in  other  parts  of  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  so  in 
this  also  of  uniformity.  Among  others,  who,  after  the 
general  falling  away,  opposed  this  uniformity,  was  John 
Gerson,  chancellor  oi Paris,  who  lived  about  an  100  years 
before  Luther,  and,  in  many  things,  received  much  clear 
light  from  God:  he,  in  his  sermon  before  the  king  of 
France,  in  the  name  of  the  university  oi  Paris,  pro  pace 
i^unione  Grs^corumj  in  his  7th  consideration , speaks  thus. 

"  Men  ought  not  generally  to  be  bound  by  the  positive 
"  determinations  of  Popes,  (and  it  will  as  well  hold  of  all 
"  others,  who  arrogate  to  themselves  an  ecclesiastical  su- 
*'  premacy,  whether  they  be  councils  or  assemblies)  to 
"  hold  and  believe  one  and  the  same  manner  of  govern - 
"  ment,  in  things  that  do  not  immediately  concern  the 
•'  truth  of  our  faith,  or  of  the  evangelical  law.  And  he 
"  saithj  this  consideration,   \^■ell  taken  and  understood. 


262  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  Sec. 

"  would  be  the  principal  key  to  open  a  door  of  peace 
"between  the  Greeks  and  Latins,  who  differ  in  many  out- 
"  \Vc\y6.  forms  and  rules  :  as  in  baptism,  the  Latin  church 
"  saith,  I  baptise  thee  ;  the  Greek  Baptizetur  servics 
*'  Christi,  'Let  this  servant  of  Christ  be  baptized.'  And 
"  in  the  supper,  the  Latin  church  useth  unleavened,  the 
"  Greek  leavened  bread,  Scc.  And  herein  he  spake  as  a 
"  christain,  xhdtX.  sM  Q,u?Glibet  proviiicia  ahiindet  sensu 
^^  suo,  'Let  every  province  abound  in  its  own  sense.' 
"  Note  also,  saith  he,  that  a  good  prince  permits  divers 
"  lavvs  and  customs,  of  divers  of  his  subjects,  so  they 
*'  be  not  evidently  against  the  law  of  nature  :  And  not  to 
"  do  so,  would  often  be  the  destruction  of  the  common - 
"  wealth.  As  the  lord  of  Arras,  a  city  of  Picardie,  was 
"  wont  to  say,  that  Flanders  would  be  governed  otherwise 
"  than  France  or  £iirgu?idi/.  And  this  consideration,  saith 
"  he  rightly  understood,  (to  wit,  not  to  press  uniformity 
"  in  the  church,  but  to  let  the  church  use  its  liberty  in 
"  these  things)  would  be  an  excellent  beginning  of  the 
"reformation  of  the  church,  notwithstanding  the  con- 
"  tradiction  of  many  of  the  court  of  Rome  (/^)." 

Luther  also,  that  chosen  vessel  of  Christ,  did  clearly 
oppose  this  evil  of  uniformity:  He  thus  delivers  his  judg- 
ment touching  uniformity  of  ceremonies  ;  "If  one  church 
"  will  not  follow  another  of  its  own  accord  in  those  out- 
"  ward  things,  what  need  is  there  that  it  should  be  com. 
"  pelled  by  the  decrees  of  councils,  which  presently  are 
"  turned  into  laws,  and  snares  of  souls.  And  therefore, 
"  let  one  church  freely  imitate  another ;  or  let  it  be  suf- 
*•  fered  to  use  its  own  way,  so  that  unity  of  Spirit  be 
"  preserved  in  faith  and  the  word,  though  there  be  va- 

(^b)  Homines  non  gcncraliter  astringi  debent,  per  determinatio- 
nespositivas  jiaparum,  ad  tenendum  kcredendiun,  unum  cundcui- 
que  gubernandi  modum,  in  rebus  quae  non  proxime  respicium. 
vel  sine  medio,  lldei  nostrse  veritateni,  vel  legis  Evangeiir;-e. 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  263 

•'riety  and  diversity  in  the  flesh,  or  elements  of  tlie 
"  world  (c)." 

Again,  the  same  Luther^  after  he  had  set  down  a  form 
of  celebrating  the  supper,  for  the  churcli  of  Christ  at 
Wittenberg^  concludes  thus,  In  quibus  omnibus  cavendum^ 
enlegemexlibertatejaciamus^^c.  That  is,  " In  all  which 
we  must  take  heed,  that  we  make  not  a  law,  of  liberty; 
or  constrain  them  to  sin,  who  shall  either  do  otherwise, 
or  shall  omit  some  things,  so  they  permit  the  words 
of  blessing  to  remain  entire,  and  do  all  act  here  in 
faith.  For  these  ought  to  be  the  rites  of  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  s , 
that  is,  of  the  children  of  the  Free-woman  ;  who 
may  keep  them  willingly,  and  of  their  own  accord;  hav- 
ing power  to  change  them,  when,  and  as  often  as  they 
will.  And  therefore  there  is  no  cause  that  any  should 
either  desire,  or  establish  any  necessary  form,  as  a  law 
in  this  matter,  whereby  he  may  either  ensnare,  or  trou- 
ble men's  consciences.  And  therefore  we  read  not  in 
the  ancient  fathers,  or  primitive  church,  any  example 
of  any  such  rite,  but  only  in  the  Roman  church.  And 
if  so  be  they  had  established  any  thing  for  a  law  in  this 
matter,  we  ought  not  to  have  kept  it  ;*'  Q_nod  legibus  hie 
bstringi,  nee possent,  nee  debent;  "  Because  these  things 
neither  could,  nor  ought  to  be  bound  by  laws.  More- 
over, if  di\'ers  men  shall  use  a  diverse  rite,  let  none  ei- 
ther judge  or  contemn  another;  butlet  every  oneabound 
in  his  own  sense;  and  let  us  all  savour  and  judge  the 
same  things,  though  for  forms  we  act  diversly:  and  let 
each  rite  please  others,  lest  by  diversity  of  rites,  foliov,- 
diversity  of  opinions  and  sects,  as  it  came  to  pass  in 
the  church  of  Rome.  For  outward  rites,  as  we  cannot 

(c)  Si  una  ecclesia  alteram  non  vult  imitari  externis  istis,  quid 
opus  est  conciliorum  decrctis  cogi,  quae  mox  in  leges  Sc  animarum 
laqueos  vertuntur  E-lmitatur  ergo  altera  alteram  libere,  aut  suis 
moribus  siuatur  frui;  modo  unitas  spiritus  salva  sit  in  fide  Sc  verbo 
quantumvis  sit  divcrsitas,  Sc  varictas  m  carnc  Sc  elemento  mundi. 


264  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  &c. 

"  want  them,  either  as  meat  or  drink,  so  neither  do  they 
"  commend  us  to  God,  but  only  faith  and  love  commend 
"  ustohim.  And  thereforeletthat  of  Pfzw/ take  place  here, 
"  That  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  ?neat  and  drink,  but 
^^righteousness,  peace  ^  and  joy  in  the  holy  Spirit;  and  so 
"  no  rite  nor  form  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  faith 
"  within  us,  &c." 

And  at  the  end  of  the  same  form,  for  the  church  of 
Wittenberg,  which  he  writes  out  for  Nicholas  Hausman- 
nus,  a  godly  minister,  he  saith,  "  Which  copy,  either 
*'  you  or  others  may  follow  if  you  please;  if  not,  we  wil- 
"  lingly  give  place  to  the  anointing,  being  ourselves  to 
"  receive  from  you,  or  any  others,  more  profitable 
"things  (c?)."  These  things  he  spake  like  a  christian 
indeed,  and  we  acknowledge  the  voice  of  Christ  in  him; 
as  in  others,  that  act  these  things  peremptorily,  and 
command  and  inforce  them  by  secular  power,  we  are 
sensible  of  the  voice  of  strangers,  and  of  such  strangers, 
as  are  thieves  and  murderers. 

Melancthon  also,  persuades  certain  christians  to  unity, 
who  differed  in  uniformity,  in  these  words.  "  Seeing  we 
"  do  agree  among  ourselves  in  the  chief  articles  of  chris- 
"  tian  doctrine,  let  us  embrace  one  another  with  mutual 
"  love;  and  let  not  unlikeness,  and  variety  of  rites  and 
"  ceremonies,  [and  Bucer,  quoting  this  place,  adds,  no, 
"  norofecclesiastical  government]  disjoin  our  minds  (e)." 

Upon  all  these  testimonies,  which  these  godly  men  give 
from  the  light  of  the  word,  which  we  acknowledge  in 
them,  it  is  evident,  that  all  forms  are  to  be  left  free  to 

(rf)  Cujus  exemplar  sicubi  Sc  aliis  placuerit  imitari,  licet :  sin 
minus,  unctioni  libenter  locum  dabimus,  pariti,  a  vobis  8c  quibus- 
vis  aliis,  commocliora  accipere. 

(e)  Cum  de  praecipuis  articulis  doctrinae  christianse  inter  nos  con- 
stet,  complectemur  nos  mutuo  amore,  neque  dissimilitas  Sc  varietas 
ntuum  8c  ceremoniarum,  disjungere  debet  mentes  nostras. 


J 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  ^65 

the  faithful,  and  congregations  of  saints.  And  when 
any  shall  set  down  any  form,  the  congregations  of  the 
faithful  may  use  them,  so  far  forth  as  they  please  ;  or 
may  add,  or  alter,  or  wholly  reject  them  ;  and  no  laws 
are  to  be  made  in  this  matter,  (which  the  secular  power 
should  inforce)  to  insnare  consciences,  and  to  infringe 
christian  liberty,  and  to  straiten  the  Spirit  in  those  in 
whom  it  dwells,  and  to  obscure  the  virtues  of  Christ  in 
his  people. 

Wherefore  it  is  most  evident,  that  they  are  most  hor- 
ribly mistaken,  that  now  urge  external  uniformity  on  the 
church,  as  the  only  means  of  unity  ;  who,  scarcely  mind- 
ing, I  am  sure  not  naming  "  one  body,  one  spirit,  one 
hope  of  calling,  one  Lord,  faith,  baptism,"  &c.  to  make 
the  church  one,  do  earnestly  and  fiercely  labour  for  one 
outward  form  and  order,  one  director}-,  one  confession, 
one  catechism,  one  discipline,  (and  to  have  these  things, 
of  their  own  devising,  inforced  on  the  church  by  the  pow- 
er of  the  state)  as  the  only  means  their  hearts  can  find 
out  to  make  the  church  one.  But  the  Seers  are  blind  in 
this  matter,  tsw^  the  prophets  prophesy  false  things.  For 
if  the  unity  of  the  church  stand  only  or  chiefly  in  uni- 
formity, what  woeful  division  will  be  found  in  it  ?  For 
the  fathers  before  the  flood  lived  in  one  form  ;  the  fath- 
ers after  the  flood,  in  another  ;  tlie  believers  under  the 
law,  in  another ;  the  believers  under  the  gospel  in 
another ;  yea,  these  being  free  from  all  forms,  used  any 
according  to  the  wisdom  of  the  Spirit :  Christ  himselfj 
andyoAn  Baptist,  who  both  lived  in  the  same  time,  ob- 
served no  uniformity  between  them ;  for  John  lived 
retiredly  in  the  wilderness,  and  came  neither  eating  nor 
drinking  ;  and  Christ  lived  in  the  frequency  of  the  world, 
and  did  both  eat  and  drink.  And  their  disciples  observed 
no  uniformity  ;  for  John''s  disciples Jasted oft,  and  Christ's 
not  at  all  in  those  days.  Besides,  at  first,  the  believing 
Jews  used  another  form  than  the  believing  Gentiles  :  and 

L  I 


266  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  8cc. 

afterwards  among  the  Gentiles,  the  Greek  church  used 
one  form,  the  Latin  another ;  and  several  churches  un- 
der both,  several  iorms ;  and  so  the  church  on  earth, 
according  to  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh,  still  uses  some  or 
other  form ;  and  the  church  in  heaven,  is  without  all 
form.  Now  then,  if  we  shall  have  no  unity  but  where 
there  is  uniformity,  what  an  earthquake  of  confusion  and 
division  will  this  make  through  the  whole  church  of 
God,  in  all  ages,  and  under  all  God's  own  dispensations 
in  the  world,  yea,  through  the  whole  church  in  earth  and 
heaven?  Wherefore,  I  dare  be  bold  to  affirm,  that  im- 
posed and  inforced  uniformity,  is  one  of  the  greatest 
enemies  to  the  true  church's  unity,  that  Antichrist  him- 
self could  devise.  And  therefore,  let  not  the  true  church 
suffer  itself  to  be  reduced  under  this  bondage  again, 
through  specious  pretences  of  reformation ;  but  let  the 
church  know,  it  may  use  what  forms  seem  good  to  it- 
self;  and  that  its  true  unity  stands  in  being  in  one  bo- 
dy,  and  one  spirit,  &c.  as  hath  been  before  declared. 
And  thus  only,  the  church  in  all  ages,  is  one,  yea,  thus 
only  the  church  in  earth  and  heaven,  is  one. 

And  therefore ;  I  desire  the  faithful  to  know,  that  uni- 
formity  is  to  be  kept  out ;  or  if  it  be  brought  in,  it  is  to 
be  cast  out,  for  the  preserving  of  peace  in  the  church. 
For,  that  God  might  make  Jews  and  Gentiles  one,  He 
abolished  the  laws  of  commandments  contained  in  or'dinaji- 
ces,  Ephes.  ii.  15w  Whence  it  is  evident,  that  God  so 
highly  valued  the  peace  of  the  faithful,  that  to  bring  this 
about,  he  repeals  his  own  institutions,  and  dissolves  his 
own  outward  ordinances.  Now  if  the  ceremonies  of 
God's  own  ordaining  were  to  be  made  void,  rather  than  to 
continue  to  the  prejudice  of  the  church's  unity;  how 
much  more  any  ceremonies,  or  outward  rules  of  our  own 
or  other  men's  devising  ?  Let  him  that  reads,  understand. 

And  these  are  the  practical  rules  in  the  way  of  the 
church's  peace,  that  are  more  absolute  and  general. 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  267 

And  now  we  hasten  to  the  rules  that  are  more  special 
and  occasional,  in  case  of  differences  among  the  faithful. 
In  which  case,  we  are  necessarily,  in  the  first  place,  to 
consider  the  weight  of  the  things  wherein  they  differ,  to 
wit,  whether  those  things  be  such  as  are  necessary  to 
salvation,  or  no. 

If  they  be  not  such  things  as  are  necessary  to  salva- 
tion ;  then,  first,  they  are  either  things  ceremonial  or 
circumstantial;  or  secondly,  very  truths  themselves; 
yet  such,  wherein  a  christian  may,  for  the  present,  err 
without  danger  of  salvation. 

If  the  difference  be  in  circumstantial  and  ceremonial 
things,  we  should  mind  these  things  to  preserve  peace. 

1.  That  we  ought  not  to  contend  for  vanities  ;  nor 
to  trouble  ourselves  and  the  church  of  God  with  trifles, 
and  things  of  no  weight  or  moment  at  all.  It  is  a  won- 
der to  us  in  these  days,  that  the  ancient  christians  should 
so  earnestly  contend  about  the  day  on  which  Easter^  as 
they  called  it,  was  to  be  celebrated ;  and  upon  differ- 
ence herein,  should  divide  into  sects  as  they  did  ;  see- 
ing there  always  shone  light  enough  in  the  gospel,  to 
declare  this  to  be  a  slight  circumstance  not  worth  the 
minding.  The  apostle  exhorts  the  Philippians^  to 
strive  together  for  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  but  no  where 
for  the  form  of  it,  in  one  thing  or  other. 

2.  We  ought  not,  for  contrary-mindedness  in  these 
things,  to  avoid  christian  converse  and  communion  with 
one  another  ;  for  strangeness  of  christians  in  these  ca- 
ses, both  breeds  and  increases  suspicions  and  jealousies, 
and  causes  that  we  harbour  hard  thoughts,  brother 
against  brother  ;  and  it  takes  away  all  apportunities  of 
conference,  and  of  understanding  and  persuading  one 
another,  and  so  of  reconciliation. 

3.  In  these  things  which  do  not  commend  us  to 
God,  we  aie  not  to  condemn  one  another  :    for  to  con- 


J68  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  he. 

dcmn  one  another  for  every  difference  in  judgment, 
produces  innumerable  sects  in  the  church,  than  which 
nothing  can  be  more  destructive  to  the  peace  of  it ; 
seeing  such  deadly  enmity  arises  among  sects,  as  we 
see  by  daily  experience.  And  therefore,  that  rash 
judgment  that  produces  these  sects,  is  the  great  enemy 
lo  tlie  peace  of  the  church,  and  the  great  advancer  of 
the  devil's  work  of  division. 

4.  Let  us  know  v/herein  the  essence  of  God's  king- 
dom stands,  to  wit,  in  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  Joy 
in  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  faith  and  love,  Sec.  and  not  in  out- 
ward ceremonies  and  orders  ;  and  where  the  power  and 
substance  of  God's  kingdom  is,  let  us  be  contented, 
though  there  is  a  difference  in  form  and  circumstances. 
Let  us  take  careful  heed,  that  we  do  nothing  against  the 
power  and  substance  of  godliness,  under  pretence  of  the 
form  and  circumstance.  The  highest  good  in  the 
church,  is  salvation  in  Christ ;  and  the  end  of  all  gifts, 
given  to  all  apostles,  prophets,  evangelists,  pastors, 
teachers,  is  to  bring  us  all  to  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and 
knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God.  And  if  so  be  that  this 
be  done,  the  church  is  not  to  be  troubled  with  other 
things ;  yea,  all  other  things  are  to  give  way  to  this. 
Where  the  heavenly  things  themselves  are  present,  we 
ought  not,  in  these  days  of  grace  and  truth,  to  contend 
iibout  the  shadows  of  them. 

5.  In  case  men  differ  in  judgment,  in  these  circum- 
stantial things,  such  as  are  in  present  power,  ought  to 
take  care  especially, 

L  That  they  do  not  entertain  men  into  the  commu- 
nion of  saints,  that  are  only  of  one  judgment  :  but  that 
every  one  to  whom  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
are  given,  may  have  free  liberty  to  go  in  and  out,  and  find 
pasture.     It  is  a  most  antichristian  thing,  to  make  ano- 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  269 

iher  key  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  true  church,  be- 
sides that  which  Christ  hath  given;  lor  then  it  w  ill  soon 
come  to  pass,  that  Chrisi's  keys  will  not  be  sufficient 
without  man's  also;  yea,  soon  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that 
man's  key  shall  be  sufficient,  without  Christ's;  that  is,  it 
will  not  be  reckoned  sufficient  for  men  to  be  believers, 
and  to  have  received  the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  to  make  them 
of  the  church,  unless  they  also  conform  to  the  judg- 
ments of  such  and  such  men;  but  to  be  of  their  judg- 
ments, will  be  enough  to  make  them  of  the  church, 
though  they  be  destitute  of  faith,  and  the  Spirit.  And 
thus,  by  making  another  key  to  God's  kingdom,  besides 
the  key  that  Christ  hath  given,  and  so  to  let  in  those 
that  should  be  kept  out,  and  keep  out  those  that  should 
be  let  in;  this  must  needs  be  avoided,  as  extremely  pre- 
judicial to  the  peace  of  the  church. 

2.  They  must  take  care  that  they  do  not  prefer  chris- 
tians to  places  of  public  ministry  and  employment,  that 
are  only  of  one  judgment;  but  that  they  dispose  of  them 
alike  to  godly  men  of  either  judgment;  lest  otherwise, 
many  smell  the  design  of  Antichrist  underneath;  which 
is,  that  none  shall  huy^  or  sell,  or  have  any  place  in  the 
church,  or  universities,  but  only  such  as  have  taken  a 
certain  mark  into  their  foreheads  and  right  hands.  And 
though  the  outward  mark  of  the  mystery  may  change, 
yet  the  in^\•ard  mind  and  meaning  of  it  doth  not  change 
with  the  change  of  form. 

3.  If  one  sort  of  christians  be  not  to  be  admitted  as 
members,  or  preferred  as  officers  in  the  church,  more 
than  another;  much  less  is  one  party  to  be  destroyed  for 
another;  for  thus  would  Satan  also  be  a  prince  of  peace, 
who  would  destroy  Christ's  kingdom  to  exalt  his  own, 
that  he  might  possess  all  quietly  and  alone:  but  Christ's 
way  is  to  reconcile  those  that  diffirr  in  these  things,  and 
of  twain,  to  make  them  one  new  man  in  himself.     And 


^70  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  Sec. 

SO  we  shall  be  like  Christ,  if  we  seek  to  bring  both  in- 
to one,  in  love,  and  not  to  destroy  either,  by  force. 

These  rules  are  to  be  observed  as  means  of  peace,  if 
the  things  be  circumstantial. 

Now  if  they  be  very  truths  wherein  christians  differ, 
yet  such,  wherein  they  may  err  without  danger  of  sal- 
vation, then  these  rules  are  of  use. 

1.  To  hear  them  speak  their  judgments  with  free- 
dom, and  not  to  condemn  them,  unheard;  for  thus  may- 
est  thou  soon  condemn  the  innocent,  and  make  thyself 
guilty. 

2.  To  understand  fully  what  thy  adversary  means,  be- 
fore thou  contend  against  him;  lest,  if  thou  want  this 
wisdom  and  patience,  thou  opposest  not  so  much  his 
judgment,  as  thy  own  conceit.  Much  better  is  it,  calm- 
ly to  hear  a  man's  mind  from  himself,  than  hastily  to 
guess  at  it;  yea,  to  conclude  it  is  so,  before  thou  hast 
heard  him  speak.  If  thou  canst  but  have  patience  to  hear 
him  relate  his  own  mind,  perhaps  in  the  end  thou  shalt 
understand  it  dffers  little  from  thy  own,  in  substance. 

3.  Reproach  not  any  thing  thy  adversary  speaks,  with 
this.  That  thou  never  heardest  it  before:  for  this  may 
not  so  much  discover  his  error,  as  thy  ignorance;  and 
that  which  seems  to  thee  a  new  error,  if  it  be  truly  ex- 
amined by  the  word,  may  prove  an  old  truth.  And  if 
thou  wilt  needs  condemn  whatever  savours  of  novelty, 
how  shall  the  truths  we  yet  know  not  be  brought  in;  or 
the  errors  that  yet  remain  with  us,  be  purged  out? 

4.  Be  not  over  confident  in  what  thou  holdest  upon 
thy  own  judgment,  or  other  men's,  strengthened  from 
multitude,  custom  and  antiquity;  for  men  have  erred 
most  grosly,  even  in  those  things  wherein  they  h:ive 
thought  themselves  most  certain:  And  therefore,  FrovQ 
all  fhmgs,  that  thou  may  est  holdfast  that  which  is  good. 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  271 

It  is  much  better  to  hold  fast  the  truth,  upon  clear  grounds 
from  the  word,  than  upon  the  strongest  presumptions 
of  thy  own  heart. 

5.  In  these  differences,  make  the  word  the  judge,  and 
not  men.  The  word  of  God  rightly  understood  is  the  sole 
and  perfect  judge,  in  all  the  things  of  God.  And  therefore 
one  said  well,  Qui  pomt  legem  juclicem^  ponit  Deum  qui 
autem  addit  hominem^  addit  zjp  bestiam  :  that  is,  He  that 
makes  the  law  judge,  makes  God  judge  ;  but  he  that 
makes  man  judge,  makes  a  beast  judge  ;  for  every  man 
is  brutish  in  his  knowledge  :  And  then  only  are  we  sure 
of  any  thing,  when  we  ha\'e  the  word  of  God  for  it. 
Though  it  is  not  sufficient  to  take  the  word  literally  in 
any  fashion  for  judge  in  these  matters  ;  but  we  must  ne- 
cessarily attain  the  knowledge  of  it,  by  the  teaching  of  the 
Spirit ;  seeing  we  see  so  many  differences  of  judgments 
among  men,  that  make  use  alike  of  the  same  outward  word 
for  their  rule.  Now  though  all  have  the  same  outward 
word,  yet  all  are  not  of  one  mind,  except  they  attain  to 
one  Spirit ;  for  Paul  saith  1  Cor.  ii.  that  only  the  Spirit 
of  God  knows  the  things  of  God :  Neither  doth  man's 
sense  or  reason  understand  the  things  of  the  Spirit,  but 
the  spiritual  man  judgeth  all  things.  And  hence  it  fol- 
lows, that  we  can  only  judge  arigl:t  of  divine  truths  bv 
the  word,  and  we  can  only  judge  aright  of  tlic  word,  if 
we  have  the  Spirit  to  be  the  interpreter  of  it  to  us. 

6.  If  thou  cannot  prevail  with  him  by  the  word,  that 
he  should  agree  with  thee,  wherein  he  diflers ;  then  ob- 
serve that  moderate  and  christain  y\.\\q  o^  Paid ;  where 
he  saith,  As  many  as  be  perfect,  be  thus  minded;  if  any  he 
otherwise  minded,God  shall  also  reveal  this  tohim\  Phil.  iii. 
15,  16.  And  so  let  us  wait  with  patience,  till  God,  of  his 
good  pleasure,  shall  please  to  teach  him,  as  he  hath  been 
pleased  to  teach  us  ;  because,  without  this  teaching,  he 


272  '^HE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  Sec. 

can  never  know  it  aright,  though  thou  teach  him  ever 
so  much. 

7.  And  lastly,  When,  in  many  inconsiderable  points  of 
religion,  we  cannot  agree  with  many  that  are  truly  faith- 
ful, nor  they  with  us  ;  let  us,  according  to  PauVs  rule, 
leave  the  final  judgment  of  these  things  to  the  due  time 

appointed  of  God;  as  Paul  hath  said, Judge  nothing 

before  the  time:  And  if  you  ask,  what  time  this  is"?  Christ 
hath  told  us,  saying,  If  any  one  hear  myivord^  and  believe 
not  J  /Judge  Mmnot:  but  the  word  that  I  have  spoken^  the 
same  shall  judge  him  at  the  last  day.  For  the  things  of 
God  are  so  far  beyond  the  sense,  reason,  knowledge,  j  udg- 
ment,  and  discerning  of  all  the  men  in  the  world,  that 
many  times  the  purest  things  are  reckoned  vile,  and  the 
most  spiritual  things,  carnal;  and  the  very  highest  things 
of  the  mystery  of  God  and  Christ,  but  conceits  or  errors; 
and  therefore  it  is  fit  that  the  judgment  of  these  things, 
which  are  so  far  beyond  human  comprehension,  should 
be  deferred  to  the  last  day  ;  God's  judgment  being  bet- 
ter in  his  own  time,  than  in  ours. 

Now  in  case  the  doctrine,  wherein  we  differ,  be  such 
as  is  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation,  and  without 
believing  which,  men  can  have  no  interest  in  Christ; 
yet  even  in  this  case, 

1.  Hear  them  speak,  and  be  rather  confident  that  the 
truth  of  God  will  prevail  over  their  error,  than  fearful, 
that  their  error  will  prevail  against  the  truth :  and  so 
strive  not  for  secular  power  to  shut  up  mens  mouths, 
and  to  restrain  mens  writings,  though  they  speak  and 
print  things  that  seem  ever  so  contrary  to  the  truth  of 
God,  and  doctrine  of  the  gospel:  For  if  men  have  not 
liberty  to  divulge  their  doctrines  publicly,  they  will 
spread  them  privately,  to  infect  and  corrupt  many,  ere  it 
can  be  known  or  prevented;  and  if  men  vent  errors  pub- 
licly, if  there  be  as  public  liberty  to  preach  the  truth,  I 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  273 

doubt  not  the  success  of  the  truth  against  it  at  any  time, 
with  all  that  belong  to  God.     And  it  is  the  only  gospel 
way,  to  conquer  error  by  the  truth,  and  all  human,  yea, 
and  devilish  doctrines,  by  the  gospel ;  which  is  the  nunis- 
tration  of  the  Spirit,  and  therefore  so  mighty,  that  all  false 
teachers  and  false  doctrines  must  needs  fall  down  before 
it ;  seeing,  stronger  is  that  Spirit  that  is  in  it,  than  that  Spi- 
rit that  is  in  the  world,  which  is  its  own  spirit,  and  the 
devil's.     And  if  the  gospel  of  Christ  have  given  already 
such  proof  of  its  power  in  former  times,  when  the  whole 
world  lay  in  horrible  ignorance  and  error,  and  darkness 
covered  the  earth  and  gross  darkness  the  people;  and  yet  the 
gospel  alone,  without  any  conjunction  of  earthly  power, 
of  states  and  kingdoms  with  it,  did  bind  the  devil,  and 
cast  him  out  of  his  possessions  and  dominions,  and  over- 
threw all  false  religions  which  men  had  received  from  their 
fore -fathers,  through  many  generations  ;  and  changed  the 
manners,  customs,  opinions,  religions,  and  very  natures 
of  men,  and  utterly  dispelled  errors  and  heresies  of  all 
sorts  ;  I  say,  seeing  the  gospel  hath  already  given  such 
large  testimony  of  its  power,  and  made  so  great  a  con- 
quest of  the  world,  when  it  was  wholly  under  the  power 
of  the  devil ;  I  see  no  reason  that  we  should  now  so  doubt 
the  power  of  it,  as  to  suffer  no  man  to  say  any  thing  but 
what  likes  us,  or  what  is  indeed  agreeable  to  the  word  ;  as 
if  error  should  have  now  gotten  more  power  to  make  void 
the  word,    than  the  word  power  to   make  void  error. 
Wherefore,  if  the  word  be  suffered  to  have  free  passage, 
I  dare  rest  on  that  alone  (and  so  dare  all  that  have  felt  the 
power  of  it  in  their  own  hearts)  for  the  conquering  and 
destroying  all  errors  and  heresies  whatsoever,  in  the  true 
church  of  God.     And  now  it  would  be  profitable  to  hear 
what  some  other  men,  who  have  walked  in  the  same  light 
and  spirit,  have  said  in  this  matter. 
M  m 


274  THE  WAY  OF  sPEACE,  8cc; 

Zuins^lius  (in  his  book,  quoted  in  the  margin  f/Jy  speaks 
thus,  Hiec  unica,  eaque  solaviaesty  qua  ad  concordiam prox- 
imepervetiiri potest ^  &c.  that  is,  "  This  is  the  one  and  only 
"  way,  whereby  we  may  most  suddenly  attain  to  con- 
"  cord  ;  if  whatsoever  things  may  be,  or  are  commonly 
"  said  for  any  opinion,  or  against  it,  be  freely  propound- 
"  ed  in  the  churches,  so  that  the  people  be  allowed  free 
"  judgment  in  all  these  things.  For  God,  who  is  not 
"  the  God  of  discord,  but  of  peace,  never  suffers  those 
"  who  are  gathered  together  in  his  Spirit,  to  err  or  be 
"  deceived.  And  if  this  way  were  observed,  we  should 
"  shortly  see  the  churches  of  Christ  enjoying  sweet  peace 
"  and  concord.  But  now,  as  often  as  there  are  some 
*'  princes  and  cities,  that  would  have  the  doctrine  of  the 
"  gospel  free  to  all,  presently  there  are  others  that  would 
"  stop  and  hinder  the  course  of  it  ;  and  so  long  there 
*'  must  needs  arise  great  discords  and  dissentions.  And 
"  hence  1  would  have  you  judge,  whether  you  or  we  are 
"  departed  from  the  church  of  God,  and  the  doctrine  of 
"  it.  For  we  suffer  those  writings  that  proceed  as  well 
*'  from  you,  as  from  the  papists,  to  be  openly  and  freely 
**  read,  and  read  again  ;  and  the  evils  which  are  taught 
"  in  them,  we  slay  by  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is 
"  the  word  of  God  :  but  you  think  all  this  business  may 
*'  be  dispatched  with  Public  edicts  and  commands. 
*'  And  therefore  do  you  be  judge,  whose  cause  is  most 
"  to  be  suspected  ;  ours,  who  suffer  the  doctrine  of  our 
**  adversaries  to  be  published  in  our  churches,  and  over- 
"  throw  them  by  the  word  ;  or  yours,  who  reproach  our 
"  doctrine  before  the  simple  people,  as  heretical  ;  in  the 
"  mean  time,  by  your  good  will,  neither  suffering  them 
"  to  read  it,  nor  understand  it."     Thus  far  he. 

Luther  also,  in  his  epistle  to  Frederick  ?iud' Jo/m,  dukes 
of  Saxony,  speaking  against  that  spirit  which  he  calls  Spi- 
ff J  Zuingl.  respon.  ad  libel.  Strethionis,  torn.  2.  f.  .'502. 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  275 

ritus  AlstetinuSt  a  proud,  haughty,  enthusiastical  spirit,  that 
despised  faith,  and  love,  and  the  cross,  and  the  whole 
scriptures,  as  low  things,  not  worth  their  minding,  and 
gloried  in  strange  revelations,  and  superlative  holiness, 
which  they  had  above  other  believers  :  and  these  ene- 
mies of  the  gospel,  especially,  were  gathered  together  in 
Alsteta  ;  and  Luther  writes  to  the  dukes,  in  whose  pro. 
vince  this  town  was,  to  this  purpose,  touching:  them :  Qiiod 
vero prtssentis^  interest  negotii^nolim  ah  illustrissimis  D.  V' 
pradicandiofficium pr(£cliidi cuiquam  (g)-,  That  is,  "But 
for  what  pertains  to  our  present  business,  1  would  not  that 
the  office  of  preaching^  should  be  denied  to  any,  by  your 
most  illustrious  lord'-hips  ;  but  let  there  be  granted  to  them 
free  liberty  to  preach,  and  let  them  exhibit  the  best  proof 
of  their  learning.  For  I  said,  by  the  testimony  of  Paul,  It 
must  needs  be^  that  there  must  be  sects  ;  and  the  word  of 
God  must  strive,  ajid  wage  war  in  camps.  And  therefore 
it  is  evident  in  Psal  Ixvii.  that  the  evangelists  are  called 
armies  J  and  that  Christ,  in  the  Psalrns,  is  called  more 
than  once,  the  king  of  armies.  Now  if  their  spirit 
be  a  right  and  approved  spirit,  it  will  easily  subsist  before 
us  without  all  fear  :  and  so  if  our  spirit  be  rig;ht,  as  we 
hope  it  is,  it  will  fear  neither  them,  nor  any  body  else, 
but  if  they  transgress  the  bounds  of  the  gospel,  and  will 
not  contain  their  hands,  but  will  do  their  work  w'nh  vio- 
lence, it  is  the  duty  of  your  most  illustrious  lordships, 
when  they  grow  fierce  and  seditious,  to  repress  them,  or 
»  to  banish  them  out  of  your  dominions  ;  saying,  we  will 
easily  grant  to  you,  to  fight  with  the  word,  for  the  proving 
and  examining  which,  is  true  doctrine  :  but  we  will  re- 
strain the  fierceness  of  your  spirits,  and  contain  your  hands; 
for  these  things  belong  to  our  magistracy.  And  there- 
fore they  that  will  not  herein  obey,  let  them  depart  the 
country  :  For,  saith  he,  we  who  are  ministers  of  the 
word,  may  preach,  but  wc  must  do  no  violence  ;  and 
CgJ  Luther.  Farrag.  epistol.  torn.  7.  f.  509. 


276  THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  Sec: 

Daniel  hath  ivitnessed,  that  Antichrist  should  be  destroyed 
without  hands  :  And  Isaiah  saith,  that  Christ  shall  fight 
in  his  kino^dom,  with  the  Spirit  of  his  mouth  and  the  rod  of 
his  hpSt  &c." 

Also  Albertus^  duke  of  Borussia,  when  the  great  con- 
troversy fell  out  between  Andreas  Osiander^  and  Morlinus^ 
and  other  ministers,  touching  the  righteousness  whereby  a 
christian  is  made  righteous  before  God,  he  would  not  for- 
bid either  side,  either  the  pulpit  or  press ;  but  left  them 
free  to  both  alike,  and  desired  them  to  forbear  reproaches 
one  against  another,  and  to  debate  the  business  quietly  by 
the  word  of  God. 

Likewise  the  Bohemians^  in  a  certain  exhortation  of 
theirs  to  kings  and  princes,  to  stir  them  up  to  the  zeal  of 
the  gospel,  subscribed  by  Procopius  and  Conradus^  and 
other  captains  of  the  Bohemians^  have  these  words  ;  "  They 
say  (that  is  the  Papists)  it  ought  not  to  be  suffered,  that  we 
should  be  heard,  in  confessing  our  faith  (hj.     Now,  how 
may  they  be  proved  by  the  holy  scripture,  since  Christ 
heard  the  devil,  as  it  is  written,  Matt,  iv.  ?  And  they  are 
not  better  than  Christ,  nor  we  worse  than  the  devil.     If 
they  be  righteous,  and  have  the  truth  with  them,  as  they 
say  they  have,  and  we  be  unrighteous,  why  do  they  fear  ? 
since  the  truth  ought  not  to  be  afraid  of  falsehood  ;  and 
Zorobabel  declared.  That  truth  is,  of  all  things^  the  most 
mighty^  and  overcometh  all  things.  2  Lsd.  iii.  For  Christ 
is  the  truth.  John  xiv.  lam  the  xvayy  the  truth  ;  and  the 
devil  is  the  father  of  lies.  Jphnviii.  Therefore  if  the  Pope 
and  his  priests  have  the  truth,  let  them  overcome  us  with 
the  word  of  God  :  but  if  they  have  lies,  then  they  cannot 
long  abide,  in  all  their  presurrrjDtion.  Wherefore,  we  exhort 
and  beseech  all  the   imperial  cities,   all  kings,  princes, 
noblemen,    rich,  poor,  for  God's  sake,  and  for  his  righ- 

(ti)  Fox  Martyrolog.  vol.  K  p.  858. 


4> 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  277 

leousness,  that  one  of  them  write  hereof  to  another,  and 
that  there  may  be  some  means  made,  how  we  may  com- 
mune with  you  safely,  and  friendly,  at  some  such  place, 
as  shall  be  fit  both  for  you  and  us :  and  bring  with  you 
your  bishops  and  teachers,  and  let  them  and  our  teachers 
fight  together  with  the  word  of  God,  and  let  us  hear  them  ; 
and  let  not  one  overcome  the  other  by  violence  or  false 
subtilty,  but  only  by  the  word  of  God,  &c." 

By  all  which  it  appears,  that  let  men's  doctrine  be 
what  it  will,  they  ought  to  be  heiu'd,  and  convinced  by 
the  word,  and  not  presently  to  be  silenced,  and  subdued 
by  force. 

Now  secondly.  If  upon  hearing  and  debating  things 
by  the  word,  it  shall  clearly  appear,  that  our  adversa- 
ries hold  such  things,  which  are  so  false  and  erroneous, 
that  they  cannot  be  reckoned  believers  and  members  of 
Christ  that  hold  them ;  nor  can  retain  those  doctrines, 
without  unavoidable  damnation :  then  in  this  case,  the 
true  church  hath  authority  from  the  word  to  do  these 
things ; 

1.  To  condemn  the  doctrine. 
^  2.  To  excommunicate  their  persons. 

1.  The  church  ought  to  condemn  the  doctrine,  as 
contrary  to  the  gospel,  and  to  that  eternal  and  uncliange- 
able,  and  most  clear  and  certain  truih  which  Christ  hath 
heard  from  the  Father,  and  delivered  to  his  church ; 
which  is  the  faith  once  given  to  the  saints^  and  never  to 
be  altered.  And  so  to  tell  the  people,  what  doctrine  it 
is  ;  even  such  as  carries  in  it  an  utter  enmity  to  Christ  and 
his  Spirit ;  and  so  consequently,  death  and  damnation  ; 
and  that  therefore  they  are  to  take  heed  to  it,  as  they  love 
eternal  life,  and  would  avoid  eternal  death. 

And  thus  Christ  condemned  the  doctrine  of  the  scribes, 
and  of  the  Pharisees,  and  of  the  Sadducees,  and  bid  his 


278  ■   THE  WAY  OF  PEACE,  Sec. 

disciples,  Beware  of  them  ;  and  Paul,  the  doctrine  of  Hy- 
meneus  and  Philetus,  which  did  eat  as  a  canker^  ^c, 

2.  The  church,  in  this  case,  may  also  excommunicate 
the  person ;  yea,  though  he  should  be  silent,  and  not  se- 
duce others;  seeing  believers  can  have  no  true  commu- 
nion with  such  a  one,  who  is  in  enmity  to  the  word  of 
life,  in  which  all  the  true  communion  of  the  faithful 
stands.  Wherefore,  such  persons  may  jubdy  be  cue  off 
from  the  society  of  the  faithful.  But  herein  also  these 
rules  are  to  be  observed  ;  to  wit, 

1.  That  this  censure  be  not  proceeded  to  for  every 
varying  from  the  truth,  (as  is  already  said)  bur  for 
denying  such  truths,  or  holding  such  errors,  as  make 
a  man  incapable  of  salvation. 

2.  That  this  be  not  done,  till  all  other  ways  have  been 
tried  to  reclaim  them. 

3.  That  this  be  done,  not  by  two  or  three  persons, 
but  bv  the  whole  church,  or  communion. 

4.  That  it  be  done,  not  by  their  own,  but  by  Christ's 
authority,  who  is  always  present  in  his  church,  as 
the  head  of  that  body  ;  and  that  it  be  done,  not  by 
any  human  passion  or  violence,  but  by  the  efficacy 
of  the  holy  Spirit,  who  is  always  present  among  be- 
lievers, as  the  Spirit  of  those  members. 

And  this  excommunication  thus  regulated,  is  the  last 
punishment  the  church  can  inflict,  by  the  warrant  and 
authority  of  Christ :  and  it  cannot  -  imprison  any,  or 
banish  them,  or  fine  them,  or  put  them  to  death  ;  for  we 
must  not  expound  that  place  of  Paul,  Ha:reticum  homi- 
num  devita^  as  Hugo  Charensis  did,  to  take  a  heretic  out 
of  his  life  ;  but  him  that  is  a  heretic  we  must  avoid,  we 
we  must  not  kill ;  the  former  being  Christ's  rule ;  the 
latter  Antichrist's. 

Conclusion.  Now  these  things  have  I  spoken  and  pro- 
pounded to  the  faithful  and  churches  of  Christ,  wherever 
the  providence  of  God  sliall  cast  this  !)ook,  which  may 


IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST.  279 

travel  farther  on  this  errand,  than  weak  flesh  can  do : 
and  I  so  propound  them  all,  as  being  most  ready  myslef 
to  hear  from  any,  what  they  can  propound  in  more  light 
and  evidence  of  the  word.  And  I  do  humbly  and  ear- 
nestly intreat  all  faithful  christians,  that  whatever  they 
shall  conceive  of  my  judgment  in  these  matters,  they  will 
yet  take  in  good  part  my  care  to  recover  and  preserve 
peace  and  unity  in  the  true  church  of  Christ :  The  de- 
sire of  which,  throuijh  God's  i^oodness,  is  much  stronger 
in  my  heart,  than  any  private  interest  or  respect  of  mine 
own. 


THE 

CRUCIFIED  AND  QUICKENED 

CHRISTIAN, 

OR  A 

DISCOURSE 

ON  GALLATIANS  II.  19,  20. 

Whicli,  for  tlie  Sum  and  Substance  of  it,  was  first  spoken  briefly  at  his  Ex^ 
cellencies,  the  Lord  General  CromiueWs  House ;  and  was  afterwards  more 
largely  delivered  in  Clement's  Parish  in  Cambridge  ,• 


Is  now  made  Public,  for  the  justification  of  the  Ti-uth,  the  profit  of  the  Faith- 
ful, and  the  stopping  the  Mouth  of  Iniquity. 


BY  WILLIAM  DELL, 

aUXISTEK    OF    THE    GOSPEL,    AND    MASTER    OF    GONTIE    AND    CAirS    COLLEGE, 
IN    CAMBRIDGE. 


Magna  patientisf  opus  est,  ad  sustinendas  calumnias  Malignantis  Ecclesise, 

•  Latimer,  Marttb, 

In  omnibus  aliis  cedam  cuivis:  Verbum  deserere  &  negare,  nee  possum,  nee  volo. 

Luther,  epistol.  ad  Leon.  Decimcm. 


Nn 


TO  THE  READER. 


CHRISTIAN, 

I  DESIRE  thee  to  understand,  that  the  great  mys- 
tery of  Christ,  which  was  kept  secret  all  the  time  of 
the  law,  was  clearly  opened  by  the  Father  and  the  Spi- 
rit, in  the  first  beginning  of  the  gospel ;  and  then  again 
(according  to  the  wonderful  counsel  of  God)  after  a 
few  years,  was  closed  up,  that  antichrist  might  have  op- 
portunity to  come  forth  into  the  word ;  but  the  days  of 
the  abomination  of  desolation,  its  standing  in  the  holy 
place,  being  now  nearly  finished,  God  hath  begun  again 
to  reveal  that  great  mystery  of  God  in  Christ,  and  to  make 
it  manifest  by  that  Spirit,  which  shall  glorify  Christ,  and 
shall  consume  antichrist,  and  all  his  accursed  kingdom  ; 
and  the  day  is  now  making  haste,  wherein  the  Lord  God 
and  the  Lamb  shall  become  the  u  mple,  wherein  the  saved 
of  the  nations  shall  worship,  and  also  the  light  in  which 
they  shall  walk.  Thiis  the  people  shall  see,  and  flow 
together ;  and  the  glory  and  honour  of  the  nations  shall 
be  brought  in  hither.  Wherefore,  do  thou  believe  and 
pray ;  for  the  Lord  lives  to  accomplish  all  these  things. 
And  in  this  faith  and  hope,  I  rest,» 

Thine  to  serve  thee,  in  the  word  of 

truth,  and  mystery  of  God, 
WILLIAM  DELL. 


THE 

CRUCIFIED  AND  QUICKENED 

CHRISTIAN. 

GAL.  ii.  20. 

I  am  crucified  with  Christ :  Nevertheless  I  live  ;  yet  not  /» 
but  Christ  liveth  in  me ;  and  the  life  which  I  now  live 
in  the  fie sh^  I  live  by  the  fiiith  of  the  Son  ofGod^  who 
loved  me  ^  and  gave  himself  for  me, 

IN  this  chapter  we  have  one  apostle  contending  against 
another,  Paul  against  Peter,  and  that  about  the  truth 
of  the  gospel,  in  a  very  chief  point.  For  Peter,  in  the 
absence  of  the  Jews,  lived  among  the  Gentiles,  after 
the  manner  of  the  Gentiles,  for  outward  conversation ; 
wholly  laying  aside  the  Mosaical  rites  and  ceremonies. 
But  when  certain  Jews  came  from  James,  Peter  did 
withdraw  from  the  Gentiles,  and  from  the  use  of  that 
freedom  and  liberty  of  the  gospel,  wherein  he  had  walked 
with  them,  and  lived  again  with  the  Jews,  after  the  man- 
ner of  the  Jews,  in  the  use  of  the  Jewish  ceremonies. 

By  which  practice  of  his,  he  laid  a  stumbling-block 
before  the  believing  Gentiles ;  giving  them  occasion  to 
think  and  judge,  that  Christ  alone,  received  by  faith,  was 
not  enough  to  justification  and  salvation ;  unless  they  did 
also  come  in  to  live  as  the  Jews,  after  Moses''s  law. 

Hereupon,  Paul  (who  had  a  very  clear  knowledge  in 
the  mystery  of  Christ  and  the  gospel)  did  exceedingly 
blame  Peter,  for  this  his  uneven  walking;  and  tells  him, 


284  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

that  by  thus  doing,  he  committed  a  greater  error  than  he 
was  aware  ;  for  hereby  he  made  Christ  the  minister  of  sin. 
For  if  Christ,  received  by  faith,  be  abundantly  sufficient, 
and  enough  to  all  christians,  both  for  righteousness,  and 
life,  and  that  without  the  law ;  why  doth  Peter  bring  the 
Gentiles,  that  had  believed  on  Christ,  back  again  to  the 
law  ?  Is  not  this,  saith  Paul,  to  argue  Christ  of  weakness 
and  insufficiency,  and  to  make  him  the  author  and  teacher 
of  a  doctrine,  that  leaves  men  still  in  sin ;  it  not  being 
able  to  confer  upon  them,  by  itself  alone,  full,  perfect,  and 
sufficient  righteousness? 

And  by  reason  of  this  gross  mistake  of  Peter,  of  so 
dangerous  a  consequence,  Paul,  according  to  the  wisdom 
of  the  Spirit,  takes  occasion  to  discourse  of  that  great 
point  of  justification,  which  is  the  very  marrow  and 
substance  of  the  gospel :  and  he  shews,  that  we  must  not 
do  the  works  of  the  law,  thereby  to  be  made  righteous ; 
but  that  we  must  first  be  made  righteous,  ere  we  can  do 
aright  any  work  of  the  law.  For,  as  it  is  not  good  fruit 
can  make  a  good  tree,  but  it  is  a  good  tree  that  must 
bring  forth  good  fruit ;  so  neither  are  we  made  righteous 
by  working  righteousness,  but  by  receiving  righteousness, 
out  of  which  afterwards  we  work.  And  so  the  law  that 
commands  righteousness,  but  doth  not  communicate 
righteousness,  can  never  justify  us  ;  but  faith,  that  makes 
us  righteous  before  we  can  work  righteousness,  it  is  that 
which  j  ustifies  us  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Now  to  this  doctrine,  Paul  adds  his  own  experience, 
to  make  all  clear ;  which  kind  of  arguing,  though  it  will 
not  satisfy  the  reason  of  the  world,  yet  it  will  satisfy  the 
faith  of  the  saints. 

Now,  saith  Paul,  for  mine  o\mi  part,  I  must  profess 
to  the  Jews  themselves,  and  to  all  the  world  besides, 
thai  I  am  so  fur  from  seeking  righteousness  by  the  law, 
that  I  am  wholly  dead  to  the  law ;  and,  as  a  dead  man, 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  285 

have  no  more  to  do  with  the  law,  as  that  hath  no  more 
to  do  with  me.  /,  through  the  law,  am  dead  to  the  law, 
that  I  might  live  unto  God,  Gal.  ii.  19. 

/,  saith  Paul,  through  the  law,  am  dead  to  the  law ;  that 
is,  the  law  itself  makes  me  dead  to  the  law.  For  the  law, 
with  its  wrath,  and  curse,  and  punishments,  hath  slain 
me  ;  it  hath,  through  my  sin,  delivered  me  up  to  death 
and  hell,  without  shewing  me  any  way  of  escape  or  deli- 
verance ;  it  hath  done  against  me  whatever  it  could  do ; 
it  hath  fully  killed  and  slain  me.  And  therefore,  how 
can  the  law  any  more  give  laws  and  commands  to  a  dead 
man,  yea,  to  one  whom  itself  hath  slain  ?  or  how  can  it 
expect  obedience  from  such  a  one  '?  And  this  sense  Chry- 
sostom  gives  of  these  words. 

But  secondly,  we  conceive  these  words  in  another  sense, 
after  this  manner,  /,  through  the  law,  am  dead  to  the  law  ; 
that  is,  I,  through  a  new  law,  am  dead  to  the  old  law ; 
I  am  dead  to  the  old  law  (which  was  the  law  of  the  letter 
written  in  tables  of  stone)  by  a  new  law,  which  God  hath 
written  in  my  heart,  and  inward  parts  (z).  And  this  is 
the  law  of  grace,  or  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life,  that  is 
in  Christ  Jesus,  which  is  not  a  law  consisting  of  letters, 
words  and  sentences,  but  is  the  living  word  of  God,  writ- 
ten in  our  hearts,  by  the  living  Spirit  of  God :  according 
to  that  of  Paul,  touching  believers,  2  Cor,  iii.  3.  Ye  are 
the  epistle  of  Christ,  written  not  with  ink,  but  with  the 
Spirit  of  the  livifig  God;  and  the  living  Spirit  writes  a 
living  law.  And  this  law  makes  us  dead  to  the  law ;  and 
a  man  is  never  truly  dead  to  the  law  of  the  letter,  till  the 
law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  be  written  in  his  heart,  by  the 
finger  of  God.  But,  when  we  have  the  law  of  grace, 
which  is  a  living  and  almighty  law  in  our  hearts,  we  are 
then  safely  dead  to  the  law  of  the  letter. 

(/)  >)  S'lXKovlx  m  9-ocyecTii  ii  ypccf^f^XFi. 


286  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

The  law  commands  all  flesh,  that  hath  not  the  living 
word  or  law  of  life  within  itself;  but  when  a  believer 
hath  in  him  the  law  of  the  Spirit,  the  law  of  the  letter 
hath  no  more  power  over  him;  that  is,  so  far  as  he 
is  taken  up  into  that  other  law  of  the  Spirit,  but  no 
further. 

And  there  is  no  danger  at  all  in  this  doctrine,  that  the 
new  law  makes  us  dead  to,  or  delivers  us  from,  the  old, 
as  ignorant  and  carnal  christians  think  there  is ;  inasmuch 
as  this  new  law  imprints  in  our  souls  the  love  of  righte- 
ousness, and  hatred  of  iniquity.     And  he  that  is  thus 
freed  from  the  law,  is  the  only  man  that  keeps  it,  and 
fulfils  it,  through  the  law  of  love,  put  into  his  heart  by 
the  Spirit.     And  this  law  of  love  doth  fulfil  the  other 
law,  but  never  breaks  and  violates  it.     Wherefore,  saith 
Paid,  /,  through  the  law,  am  dead  to  the  law. 
That  I  might  live  unto  God ; 
That  is.  He  that,  through  the  law  of  grace,  is  freed  of 
the  law  of  the  letter,  is  not  set  free  from  the  law,  that 
thereby  he  may  have  opportunity,  and  liberty,  to  live  to 
sin,  and  himself;  but  that  he  may  thereby  live  unto  God: 
And  when  a  man  is  born  of  God,  and  lives  the  life  of  God, 
from  the  nature  of  God,  there  is  no  danger  at  all  in  decla- 
ring this  man  to  be  free  from  the  law  of  Moses,  by  the  law 
of  Christ.    For  how  otherwise  should  he  colne  to  know 
the  high  privilege  of  the  gospel,  and  the  excellent  prero- 
gative of  the  sons  of  God,  and  the  glorious  liberty  and 
freedom,  into  which  Jesus  Christ  hath  exalted  him  ? 

Now  this  one  thing  rightly  understood,  doth  administer 
to  us  just  cause  to  reprove  two  sorts  of  people,  who 
swerve  from  the  truth  in  this  particular. 

The  first  sort  are  they  who  would  be  dead  to  the  law, 
that  they  might  live  unto  sin,  and  not  unto  God ;  who 
would  have  no  law,  that  all  things  might  be  lawful, 
though  ever  so  wicked  and  abominable,  and  ever  so 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  287 

contrary,  both  to  the  light  oF  grace  and  nature.  And 
these  are  the  true  Antinomians  and  Libertines,  who  would 
be  free  from  the  law  of  Moses,  they  not  being  under  the 
law  of  Christ ;  who  would  take  away,  and  quite  abolish, 
the  law  of  the  letter,  they  not  being  under  the  law  of  the 
Spirit ;  and  so  would  be  free  from  all  the  law,  both  old 
and  new,  both  of  Moses  and  Christ,  that  they  might  live 
as  they  list,  and  take  their  full  swing  in  all  their  lusts. 
Now  such  libertines  and  licentious  persons  as  these,  are 
to  be  restrained  and  punished  by  the  civil  magistrate, 
and  the  powers  that  be  of  God  in  the  world,  when  they 
transgress  in  any  matter,  wickedly  and  presumptuously 
against  their  neighbour,  and  against  civil  society :  and  in 
other  things,  that  are  more  secret  and  inward,  or  that  are 
of  their  own  notions  and  apprehensions,  though  concern- 
ing the  things  of  God,  they  are  to  be  left,  with  other  un- 
believers and  misbelievers,  to  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God,  who  is  always  present  in  the  world,  and  immediate 
moderator  and  governor  himself,  in  all  such  affairs  as 
immediately  concern  himself  and  his  kingdom, 

2.  The  other  sort,  to  be  reproved  from  this  point,  are 
such,  who  are  so  Jewish  and  so  zealous  of  the  honour  of 
the  law,  that  they  will  by  no  means  endure  to  hear, 
that  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  comes  to  abolish  it, 
or  that  the  new  law  is  given  us,  to  make  us  quite  dead 
to  the  old.  For  they  think,  that  such  doctrine  as  this, 
will  open  a  flood-gate  to  all  manner  of  wickedness  and 
licentiousness.  For  such  men,  being  carnal  themselves, 
and  knowing  no  restraint  from  sin,  but  the  law  of  Moses, 
do  verily  think,  that  if  that  curb  be  taken  out  of  the 
jaws  of  men,  they  must  needs  rush  headlong  into  all 
manner  of  evil,  as  the  horse  into  the  battle :  and  this  is 
true  enough,  where  men  free  themselves,  or  are  freed  by 
others  from  the  old  law,  before  the  new  be  written  in 
their  hearts.     But  this  they  understand  not,  that  when 


288  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

the  new  law  comes,  it  is  a  sufficient  discharge  from  the 
old ;  since  the  law  of  grace  within  us  is  infinitely  more 
powerful  to  keep  us  from  sin,  than  the  law  of  Moses 
without  us ;  and  the  love  of  righteousness,  and  hatred  of 
iniquity,  put  into  our  hearts  by  the  Spirit,  is  infinitely 
more  able  to  make  us  do  righteousness,  and  avoid  sin, 
than  any  outward  commands  and  threatenings  whatsoever. 
And  so,  where  the  gospel  prevails  in  truth  and  power, 
men  need  not  fear  the  taking  away  the  law  from  such 
men,  seeing  they,  through  the  neiu  law,  are  dead  to  the 
old,  that  they  may  live  unto  God.  That,  as  the  humanity 
of  Christ  knew  no  law,  but  the  presence  of  the  Godhead 
in  it,  was  unto  it  instead  of  all  law,  and  it  lived  unto  God 
by  living  in  God,  through  union  and  communion  with^ 
the  divine  nature ;  so  the  saints,  God  dwelling  in  them, 
and  they  in  God,  do  by  this  means  live  unto  God :  and 
God  himself,  who  dwells  in  them,  is  the  new  law  accord- 
ing to  which  they  live ;  they  doing  all  in  God,  and  for 
God,  and  so  live  unto  God  indeed. 

And  now  it  follows, 

/  am  crucified  with  Christ,  &:c. 

/  am  crucified  xvith  Christ,  who,  through  this  new  law, 
was  dead  to  the  old.  For  Christ  our  brother,  of  the 
same  flesh  and  blood  with  us,  having  the  living  word  and 
law  of  God  within  him,  he  owed  nothing  to  the  law  of 
Moses  by  way  of  debt,  neither  was  he  justified  by  the 
works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  righteousness  of  the  eternal 
Son  or  word  of  God,  that  dwelt  and  wrought  in  him, 
and  he  again  in  it.  And  this  living  word  and  Spirit  of 
God  that  dwelt  in  the  flesh  of  Christ,  was  the  true  cruci- 
fying of  his  flesh  ;  and  in  this  crucifying  of  Christ's  flesh, 
all  his  saints  partake  with  him,  as  Paul  here  saith, 
/  a?n  crucified  with  Christ. 

Now  this  cannot  be  understood  of  Christ's  outward 
ci-ucifying  upon  the  material  cross :  for  thus,  Paul  was 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  289 

not  crucified  with  him,  neither  are  all  the  saints.  But 
this  is  to  be  understood  of  Christ's  inward  and  spiritual 
crucifying,  through  the  word  of  righteousness  and  life 
that  dwelt  in  him ;  and  according  to  this,  all  the  faithful, 
through  all  ages,  are  crucified  with  him  indeed. 

And  here  it  will  be  needful  to  speak  something  more 
fully,  both  touching  Christ's  own  crucifying,  and  the 
crucifying  of  aU  his  saints  with  him,  on  the  same  cross. 
And  the  rather,  because,  as  men  generally,  in  the  outward 
church,  have  a  carnal  understanding  of  all  the  things 
of  Christ,  so  also  of  his  cross  and  death.  And  not  the 
Papists  only,  but  many  among  ourselves,  who  greatly 
adore  the  outward  cross  and  crucifying  of  Christ,  are 
yet  ignorant  of  the  true  cross  and  crucifying  of  Christ, 
and  his  christians  with  him,  whereby  they  are  truly  cru- 
cified and  dead  to  themselves,  to  sin,  to  the  world,  and 
to  whatever  is  not  God  himself :  And  so,  under  the  open 
profession  of  the  outward  cross  and  death  of  Christ,  do 
live  in  all  manner  of  sin  and  wickedness,  equally  with 
the  very  heathen,  amongst  whom  the  name  of  Christ  hath 
not  been  named.  Wherefore,  to  remove  this  gross  igno- 
rance from  all  that  love  the  light,  I  shall  speak  something, 
first  of  Christ's  own  crucifying,  and  then  of  our  cruri- 
fying  together  with  Christ. 

1.   Of  Christ'' s  own  crucifying. 

Now  Christ's  true  crucifying ;  (I  mean,  his  inward  and 
spiritual  crucifying,  in  which  all  his  saints,  without  any 
exception,  have  their  fellowship  with  him,)  it  was  this; 
It  was  the  taking  up  his  human  nature  into  his  divine 
nature,  or  the  taking  up  his  flesh  into  the  word,  in  such 
sort,  that  the  flesh  of  Christ  did  not  live  the  life  of  the 
flesh,  in  the  reason,  and  understanding,  and  wisdom,  and 
will,  and  affections,  and  desires,  and  delights,  and  ends 
of  the  flesh ;  but  the  flesh,  or  humanity  of  Christ,  being 
crucified,  and  dead  to  all  these  things,  did  live,  in  itself, 

Oo 


290  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

the  life  of  the  eternal  word,  in  the  nature,  righteousness, 
life,  mind,  will,  and  in  all  the  things  of  God.  And  this 
was  the  full  and  perfect  crucifying  of  the  flesh  of  Christ 
indeed. 

And  thus  you  see,  that  the  living  word  and  Spirit  of 
God,  which  dwelt  in  the  flesh  of  Christ,  did  truly  crucify 
and  destroy  the  proper  will  and  affections,  and  the  whole 
life  of  his  flesh. 

And  thus  was  Christ  crucified,  before  his  crucifiction 
on  the  material  cross ;  and  his  outward  crucifying  was 
but  a  sign  of  what  was  done  before,  within ;  and  if  Christ's 
flesh  had  not  thus  been  crucified  before,  his  cross,  he  had 
not  afterwards  given  it  up  so  freely,  cheerfully,  and  de- 
sirously, to  be  crucified  so  shamefully,  painfully,  and 
bleedingly  on  the  cross. 

The  divine  nature  of  Christ,  was  the  constant  cross  of 
his  human  nature  ;  and  his  human  nature  was  fully  cruci- 
fied  in  his  divine ;  in  such  sort,  that  the  human  nature  of 
Christ  had  not  the  least  freedom  of  its  own  proper  will 
left  to  itself;  but  when  it  was  to  undergo  the  heaviest  and 
bitterest  things  that  any  creature  was  capable  to  undergo, 
even  death  and  hell,  and  the  sense  of  the  whole  wrath  of 
God ;  yet  even  then  he  said,  not  my  xvill,  but  thine  be  done: 
Which  was  the  most  full  and  perfect  crucifying  that  could 
be.  For  the  man  Christ  lost  all  his  own  things  in  God, 
throus^h  immediate  union  with  God,  and  was  filled  again 
with  all  the  things  of  God,  in  his  humanity ;  which  took 
away  his  humanity  wholly  from  itself,  to  God,  to  be,  do,  and 
suffer,  all  in  the  will  of  God ;  and  this  was  his  crucifying. 

And  this  now,  is  the  most  excellent  and  glorious  cru- 
cifying of  Christ,  that  is  to  be  preached  to  all  nations, 
for  the  obedience  of  faith.  For  to  preach  the  outward 
crucifying  of  Christ,  barely  and  alone,  without  this  inward 
and  spiritual  crucifying  of  him,  (which  is  not  only  the 
cirjginal,  and  the  cause,  but  also  the  perfection  and  glory 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  291 

of  the  other)  is  no  great  matter ;  neither  will  it  make  the 
world  mueh  in  love  with  him,  seeing  two  thieves  were 
thus  crucified  with  him,  at  the  same  time,  outwardly,  as 
he  was.  But  to  preach  Christ,  crucified  by  the  living 
woKd  and  Spirit  of  God,  that  dwelt  in  him,  through  which 
he  was  wholly  dead  to  himself  and  the  world,  and  lived 
wholly  in  the  will  of  God  ;  so  that,  though  he  were  the 
Son  of  God,  yet  he  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  but 
gave  up  his  flesh,  and  outward  man,  to  be  crucified  among 
thieves,  at  the  will  of  his  Father.  This,  I  say,  is  the  glo- 
rious crucifying  of  Christ,  which  the  gospel  preaches  in 
all  the  world  ;  even  the  crucifying  of  Christ's  flesh,  by 
the  Spirit  and  divine  nature.  For  Christ's  dying  had 
been  nothing,  if  the  life  of  God  within  him  had  not  offered 
up  his  human  life  ;  and  his  crucifying  had  been  nothing, 
if  God  in  Christ  had  not  humbled  his  human  nature  to 
the  death  of  the  cross  ;  and  he  had  not  oflfered  up  that 
flesh  of  his  to  God,  without  fault,  by  his  eternal  Spirit,  as 
Paul  speaks  :  Heb.  ix.  14.  But  this  did  put  such  an  in- 
finite worth,  excellency  and  efficacy,  on  his  outward  cru- 
cifying, and  thereby  he  is  said  to  redeem  us  unto  God, 
even  by  his  blood  ;  and  by  that  one  offering  of  himself,  to 
perfect  forever  them  that  are  sanctified :  Heb.  x.  14. 

And  thus  much  touching  Christ's  own  crucifying  ;  the 
next  thing  is. 

Our  crucfying  with  Christ. 

I  am^  Scdth  Paul,  crucifed  with  Christ  ;  that  is,  with 
that  human  nature  of  his,  that  was  taken  up  into  the 
word.  Now  as  the  most  excellent  crucifying  of  Christ, 
was  through  the  word  and  Spirit  that  dwelt  in  him  ;  so 
likewise,  the  true  and  glorious  crucifying  of  all  the  faiths 
ful,  is  through  the  same  word  and  Spirit  of  Christ,  dwell- 
ing in  them.  For  to  have  the  word  and  Spirit  of  Christ, 
that  is,  the  Word  and  Spirit  that  is  true  God  dwelling 
in  us,  is  the  greatest  crucifying  of  flesh  and  blood  that 
can  be.    And  when  we  are  thus  crucified   with  Christ, 


29(2  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

by  his  word  and  Spirit  dwelling  in  us,  then  afterwards, 
the  body  will  be  ready  and  willing  to  suffer  the  cross,  or 
fire,  or  lions,  or  racks,  or  torments,  or  any  thing ;  as  we 
see  in  the  blessed  Martyrs  ;  who,  if  they  had  not  been 
first  crucified  with  Christ,  through  the  word  and  Spirit 
would  never  have  delivered  up  their  bodiei  so  readily  as  if 
they  had  not  known  them,  to  suffer  so  many  grievous  and 
intolerable  things  for  Christ.  For  that  flesh  that  is  truly 
crucified  by  the  Spirit,  is  fitted  for  all  sufferings,  though 
never  so  grievous  and  intolerable  to  itself. 

Wherefore  let  us  learn,  that  no  outward  sorrows,  or 
tribulations,  or  prisons,  or  rackings,  or  killings,  are  such 
real  crucifyings  to  a  believer,  as  his  faith,  hope,  and  love, 
the  fruits  of  the  word  and  Spirit  in  him,  which  will  not  suf- 
fer him  to  live  in  himself,  or  in  the  creature,  but  do  carry 
him  with  great  force,  out  of  all  these  things,  to  live  in 
God  ;  which  thing  is  the  greatest  mortification  and  cruci* 
fyingof  the  fltsli,  that  can  be. 

And  as  Christ's  outward  crucifying  on  the  cross,  with- 
out his  inward  crucifying  by  the  word  of  God,  had  been 
nothing  worth ;  no  more  would  all  the  sufferings  and 
martyrdoms  of  all  the  believers  in  the  world,  be  of  any 
worth  in  themselves,  or  of  any  account  with  God,  with- 
out this  inward  spiritual,  daily  and  constant  crucifying, 
suffering  and  martyrdom  of  theirs.  Seeing  nothing  doth 
so  truly  and  thoroughly  restrain,  hamper,  mortify,  cru- 
cify, kill  and  destroy  the  flesh,  and  all  the  corruptions, 
lusts  and  affections  of  it,  as  the  living  word  and  Spirit 
do.  And  this  is  the  glorious  cross  of  the  church,  the 
body,  as  well  as  of  Christ,  the  head  ;  without  which,  all 
martyrdom  is  nothing  ;  and  of  which,  all  the  bodily  suf- 
ferings and  torments  of  the  saints,  have  been  butade- 
monstration  to  the  world  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  for 
the  comfort,  support  and  encouragement  of  other  chris- 
tians. And  where  this  inward  crucifying  hath  not  been 
first  wrought  and  accomplished,  christians  could  suffer 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  293 

nothing  outwardly ;  as  hath  been  very  evident  in  many 
christians,  who,  having,  in  times  of  persecution,  been  call- 
ed forth  to  witness  to  the  truth  with  their  lives,  have  at 
first,  for  fear  and  dread  of  the  outward  cross,  abjured 
the  truth  to  save  their  lives.  But  afterwards,  when  the 
word  and  Spirit  within  them,  had  fully  and  truly  crucifi- 
ed them,  they  would  then  come  forth  again  of  their  own 
accord,  and  willingly  offer  up  their  bodies  to  fire  and 
death. 

And  thus  also  I  have  declared  what  is  our  crucifying 
with  Christ ;  Paul  saying  here,  /  am  crucified  with 
Christ ;  because  his  sins  were  subdued,  and  his  nature 
conquered,  through  the  living  word  and  Spirit  of  Christ 
dwelling  in  him. 

Now,  that  both  these  things  are  so  in  truth,  and  that 
they  are  no  fond  notions,  speculations,  and  glosses  of  my 
own  devising,  I  will  yet  make  it  more  evident  by  some 
few  other  plain  scriptures ;  as  by  that  of  Faui^  in  JiofJi. 
viii.  10.  where  he  saith.  If  Christ  he  in  you  the  body  is  dead 
because  of  sin  ;  that  is,  the  presence  of  Christ,  that  is,  the 
living  word  of  God  within  us,  is  the  killing  and  crucify- 
ing of  the  body  to  all  sin.  And  in  Gal.  v.  24.  the  same 
apostle  saith,  that  they  that  are  Chrisfs^  have  crucified  the 
fieshy  with  the  affections  and  lusts  of  it :  and  in  ver,  25.  he 
shews,  that  this  crucifying  of  the  flesh  of  christians,  is 
not  brought  about  by  any  outward  sorrows  and  sufferings, 
but  by  the  presence  of  the  Spirit  in  it,  saying,  If  we  live 
in  the  Spirit^  let  us  also  walk  in  the  Spirit:  and  in  ver,  16. 
of  the  same  chapter,  he  saith,  This  I  say  then^  walk  in  the 
Spirit^  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  fiesh  ;  and 
Rom  viii.  13.  If  ye,  through  the  Spirit,  do  mortify  the 
deeds  of  the  body  ye  shall  live.  So  again,  Rom.  vi.  5.  If 
we  have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death, 
we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection.  No\y 
all  believers,  without  exception,  are  planted  with  Christ, 


294  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

into  a  likeness  of  his  death  ;  which  is  not  so  to  be  under- 
stood, as  if  all  should  be  crucified  on  a  material  cross,  as 
he  himself  was ;  but  that  all  of  them  are  buried  with  him 
by  baptism  into  his  death;  that  is,  by  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit ;  and  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  is  the  death  of  the 
flesh ;  it  is  the  death  of  our  flesh  with  Christ's :  for  thus 
was  Christ's  flesh  made  dead  to  itself,  to  sin,  and  the 
world,  to  wit,  through  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit :  and 
thus  also  is  ours ;  wherefore  Paul  adds,  ver,  6.  Knowing 
this^  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with  him^  that  the  body 
of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we  should  not 
serve  sin  :  So  that  it  is  plain,  that  the  destruction  of  sin 
in  our  bodies,  by  the  living  word  and  Spirit  of  God,  is 
our  crucifying  with  Christ.  And  ver.  11.  the  apostle 
would  have  those  that  are  thus  crucified  with  Christ,  to 
reckon  themselves  dead  to  sin  :  for  as  the  word  and  Spirit 
of  God  in  Christ,  made  him  wholly  dead  to  sin,  and  sin 
had  no  place  in  him  :  So  likewise,  as  ftu:  as  the  same  word 
and  Spirit  of  Christ  prevail  in  us,  they  will  make  us  dead 
to  sin  for  the  time  past,  and  present ;  and  for  the  future 
will  preserve  us  from  sin. 

And  now  we  shall  make  some  use  of  this  point. 
First  then,  let  us  know  that  it  is  not  enough  to  salva- 
tion, to  believe  that  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  his  hu- 
man nature,  was  outwardly  crucified  on  a  cross  at  Jeru- 
salem for  us,  except  we  also  be  crucified  with  him, 
through  his  living  word  and  Spirit  dwelling  in  us  ; 
through  which  we  must  be  powerfully  planted  into  a  true 
likeness  of  his  death,  in  such  sort,  that  we  must  be  dead 
unto  all  sin  whatsoever,  even  to  all  our  own  corruptions 
and  lusts,  and  to  all  the  corruptions  that  are  in  the  world 
through  lust ;  and  we  must  be  dead  to  ourselves,  to  our 
own  fleshly  reason,  understanding,  will,  desires,  ends,  and 
to  our  own  human  life ;  and  we  must  be  dead  to  the 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  295*" 

world,  and  to  all  that  is  in  it,  and  of  it ;  to  all  the 
pleasures,  profits,  and  honours  of  it :  we  must  thus  truly 
be  dead  with  Christ,  ere  we  can  live  with  him.  And 
with  this  kind  of  crucifying,  must  whole  Christ  be  cruci- 
fied, from  the  head  to  the  lowest  members  ;  and  thus  also 
must  we  be  crucified  with  him,  if  we  will  have  any  part 
in  him  ;  I  say,  we  must  have  fellowship  with  him  in  his 
sufferings,  and  be  made  conformable  to  him  in  his  death, 
ere  we  can  attain  to  his  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

Now  if  any  desire  to  know  how  we  may  attain  to  be 
thus  crucified  with  Christ ; 

I  answer  ;  that  the  true  faith  of  God's  elect,  is  the  only 
way  through  which  we  can  attain  to  this  crucifying.  For, 
through  faith  we  receive  the  living  word  of  God  to  dwell 
in  us ;  and  in  this  word  we  partake  of  the  Spirit ;  and 
this  word  and  Spirit  dwelling  in  iis,  do  (as  hath  been 
declared)  crucify  us  with  Christ. 

Indeed,  hypocrites  and  carnal  christians,  receive  and 
profess  a  word  that  will  not  crucify  them  with  Christ, 
but  do  receive  a  word  and  doctrine  that  will  still  suffer 
them  to  live  their  own  lives,  and  after  their  own  lusts. 
For  the  word  they  receive,  is  only  an  outward  word, 
consisting  of  divers  questions,  opinions  and  doctrines ; 
and  is  also  without  the  Spirit,  and  so  it  leaves  them 
as  it  found  them,  in  reference  to  their  natures  and  cor- 
ruptions. 

But  the  word  that  faith  receives,  is  the  word  of  righ- 
teousness and  life ;  a  word  that  is  always  accompanied 
with  the  Spirit :  and  when  this  is  ingrafted  into  the  soul, 
and  abides  in  it,  it  presently  mortifies  and  crucifies  it, 
and  destroys  a  man's  self  out  of  himself.  And  therefore, 
in  1  Cor,  i.  18.  it  is  called  h  >.f>y(^  o  m  ictvpa^  the  ivord  of 
the  cross ;  and  that,  not  only  because  it  exposes  us  to 
afflictions  in  the  world,  but  also  because  it,  dwelling  in 
our  hearts  by  faith,  doth  crucify  us.     And  this  crucify- 


296  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

ing  word,  in  the  same  vferse,  is  called  also  4Jv«jit«  e^Hf 
the  power  of  God;  for  that  word  that  crucifies  our  flesh, 
and  subdues  and  destroys  the  whole  strength  of  corrup- 
tion out  of  us,  must  be  such  a  word,  as  is  also  the  power 
of  God ;  and  so  it  is  not  only  in  itself,  but  also,  because 
the  Spirit  of  God  dwells  in  it.  And  this  word,  thus 
apprehended,  will  crucify  us  with  Christ. 

Now  this  word  of  faith,  which  is  the  word  near  us, 
even  in  our  hearts,  will  crucify  us, 

1.  Thoroughly;  it  will  crucify  the  whole  man  through- 
out, and  that  according  to  his  mind,  will  and  affections ; 
for  this  word  of  God  is  quick  and  powerful^  and  sharper  than 
any  two-edged  sword,  and  is  piercing  to  the  dividing  asunder 
both  oj  the  soul  and  spirit,  andof  the  joints  and  marrow,  and 
is  a  curious  discerner  oJ  the  tlioughts,  and  intents  of  the 
heart,  &c.  And  all  the  tribulations  and  torments  in  the 
world,  yea,  all  the  sorrows  and  pains  of  hell,  cannot  so  cru- 
cify and  subdue  our  evil  natures  and  lives,  as  this  living 
word  in  our  hearts,  with  whom*  we  have  to  do.  This 
W'ill  crucify  us  till  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  as  Christ  was 
dead  (which  was  the  fullest  and  completest  death  that 
ever  wab)  that  is,  till  our  outward  and  inward  man  be 
wholly  and  fully  subject  to  the  only  will  of  God. 

2.  This  w  ord  of  faith  will  crucify  us  daily  and  con- 
stantly, as  Paul  witnesses,  saying,  x«6*  i)i^t-Mi  ^TroSvija-Ka, 
I  die  daily:  1  Cor.  xv.  31.  For  the  word  of  righteousness 
dwelling  in  us,  is  quiic  contrary  to  our  corrupt  nature, 
and  all  the  operations  of  it ;  and  doth,  without  inter- 
mission, put  forth  its  strength  and  efficacy  against  both. 
That  as,  in  the  first  break  of  day,  the  light  is  still  morti- 
fying the  darkness,  till  it  have  wholly  dispelled  it ;  so 
the  word  of  righteousness  deals  with  our  corruptions,  till 
their  place  shall  be  no  more  found. 

Now,  because  this  our  crucifying  with  Christ  is  so  con- 
trary to  the  flesh,  that  the  flesh  is  always  mourning  under 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  297 

it,  and  murmuring  against  it ;  therefore  for  our  encourage- 
ment in  so  difficult  a  work  as  this,  1  shall  propound  some 
choice  and  excellent  advantages  that  btlievers  have,  by 
being  truly  crucified  with  Christ.     For  by  this  means, 

1.  We  are  freed  from  the  law.  For  as  the  humanity 
of  Christ,  being  crucified  by  the  word  and  Spirit,  by 
this  means  became  dead  to  the  law,  and  the  law  lost  all 
its  power  over  him ;  so  all  the  faithful  that  are  thus  cru- 
cified with  him,  are,  through  this  crucifying,  set  free  from 
the  law ;  for  their  own  life  being  extinguished  by  the 
living  word  and  Spirit,  and  they  living  in  that  word  and 
Spirit,  a  life  not  their  own,  but  Christ's,  are  as  truly 
freed  from  the  law,  as  Christ  himself  was.  And  this,  Paul 
doth  plainly  teach  us,  Rom.  vii.  1.  saying,  that  the  Law 
hath  lordship  over  a  man  all  the  time  he  livesy  and  no  lon- 
ger. But  when  he  is  once  crucified  with  Christ,  and 
dead  with  Christ,  the  law  hath  no  more  dominion  over 
him.  So  then,  as  long  as  we  live  our  own  life,  tile  law 
hath  power  over  us  ;  but  when  we  are  dead  to  ourselves, 
through  the  life  of  Christ,  we  are  set  quite  without  the 
reach  of  the  law ;  and  the  law  hath  no  more  to  do  with 
us,  the  members,  than  ivlth  ('hrixr,  the  head. 

2.  By  being  crucified  with  Christ,  we  are  freed  of  sin. 
For  one  of  the  chief  ends  of  the  indwelling  of  the  word 
and  Spirit  in  believers,  is  to  free  them,  and  save  them 
from  sin ;  and  though  sin  hath  its  full  power  in  our  own 
human  life,  yet  it  hath  no  power  over  Christ's  life  in  us, 
which  we  live,  through  faith.  Wherefore  saith  Paul, 
Rom.  vi.  6.  Knoxving  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with 
him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that  henceforth 
ive  should  not  serve  sin;  and  in  ver.  12.  he  saith,  Let  fiot 
sin  therefore  reign  «»  tcT  B-vtirJ  of^a*  Twy.x7r  in  your  mortal  or 
dead  body ;  which  he  calls  dead,  not  in  relerence  to  the 
common  mortality  of  the  world,  but  in  reference  to  our 
crucifying  with  Christ ;  and  in  the  body  that  is  crucified 


298  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

with  Christ,  sin  is  not  to  reign.  And  so  you  see,  that  through 
our  crucifying  with  Christ,  we  are  dead  to  sin  also.  For 
it  is  impossible  that  Christ  and  sin  should  live  together  in 
strength,  in  the  same  flesh ;  but  if  sin  live  in  our  flesh, 
it  will  crucify  us  to  Christ ;  and  if  Christ  live  in  our 
flesh,  he  will  crucify  us  to  sin. 

3.  By  being  crucified  with  Christ,  we  are  freed  from 
death ;  that  death  that  arises  of  sin,  and  carries  the  wrath 
of  God  in  it :  For  through  the  death  of  the  second  Adam, 
we  are  set  free  from  the  death  of  the  first  Adam,  and 
through  that  death,  to  die  unto  life.  Unbelieving  flesh  is 
the  fuel  of  death,  as  wood  is  of  fire :  and  death  reigns, 
and  hath  its  full  dominion  in  the  flesh  of  all  unbelievers ; 
but  when  M^e,  by  faith,  are  made  members  of  Christ's 
body,  of  his  flesh  and  bones,  then  life  reigns  in  Christ's 
flesh,  as  death  in  ours.  And  so  being  crucified  with 
Christ,  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over  us. 

4.  By  being  crucified  with  Christ,  we  are  also  freed 
from  the  power  of  the  devil.  The  devil  hath  power  over 
our  flesh,  or  humanity,  whilst  it  is  our  own,  and  under 
the  law,  sin  and  death.  But  when  our  flesh  is  united 
to  Christ,  and  is  crucified  by  the  word  and  Spirit,  then 
Satan  comes,  and  hath  nothing  in  it,  as  he  came  to 
Christ,  and  had  nothing  in  him.  The  devil  then  can 
find  nothing  in  us  to  do  us  harm,  or  whereby  he  may 
prevail  against  us,  when  we  are  truly  crucified  with 
Christ. 

5.  The  flesh  that  is  truly  crucified  with  Christ,  is  only 
Christ's  own  flesh.  For  whilst  we  live  our  own  lives  in 
unbelief,  we  are  only  the  flesh  of  the  first  Adam  ;  but 
when  the  living  word  and  Spirit  dwell  in  us,  and  crucify 
us,  then  our  flesh  becomes  the  flesh  of  the  second  Adam  ; 
and  so  far  as  it  is  crucified  through  the  word,  it  is 
Christ's  flesh  more  than  ours. 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  299 

6.  This  crucified  flesh  is  the  only  temple  and  habita- 
tion of  God,  wherein  he  dwells,  and  manifests  himself  in 
this  world :  For  as  God  dwelt  in  Christ's  flesh,  which 
was  thus  crucified,  and  made  it  his  temple,  so  he  dwells 
in  the  crucified  flesh  of  believers,  and  makes  that  his 
temple  :  as  Paul  saith  to  believers.  Ye  are  the  temples  of 
the  living  God',  as  God  hath  said^  I  will  dwell  in  them^ 
and  walk  in  them.  And  God  dwells  in  none  of  the  flesh 
of  all  the  sons  of  men,  but  only  in  that  which  is  crucified 
with  Christ ;  and  that  flesh  that  is  not  thus  crucified  is 
not  God's  habitation,  but  the  devil's. 

7.  This  crucified  flesh  only,  keeps  the  true  christian 
Sabbath,  or  the  everlasting  rest  of  the  new  world ;  which 
is,  to  cease  from  our  own  works,  and  to  do  the  works  of 
God.  Whereas,  that  flesh  that  is  alive  to  itself,  and  lives 
its  own  life  in  itself  and  the  creatures,  never  enters  into 
the  true  rest,  nor  keeps  the  true  sabbath ;  but  it  always 
works  its  own  works,  and  doth  all  things  fi"om  itself,  and 
for  itself,  and  so  long  God  will  not  use  it.  But  when 
the  flesh  is  crucified  through  the  word,  then  God  doth 
all  in  it,  and  takes  it  out  of  its  own  life  and  works,  into 
his  life  and  his  works.  And  the  more  any  flesh  is  cruci- 
fied with  Christ,  the  more  doth  God  delight  to  use  it, 
and  to  work  his  own  excellent  works  by  it ;  for  such 
flesh  will  render  no  resistance  to  God  in  his  working ;  and 
also,  it  will  do  the  works  of  God,  merely  for  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  good  of  his  brother,  being  dead  to  all  self 
ends^nd  interests. 

8.*  This  crucified  flesh  only,  is  able  to  endure  the  will 
of  God,  and  to  suffer  for  his  name.  For,  till  the  flesh  be 
crucified  with  Christ,  and  killed  by  the  word,  it  will 
suffer  nothing  for  God,  but  will,  by  all  possible  means, 
avoid  the  cross ;  but  when  it  is  truly  crucified,  it  will 
endure  the  greatest  evils  that  can  be  inflicted  on  it,  either 
by  men  or  devils,  or  by  the  Lord  himself;  and  that  with 


300  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

much  willingness  and  cheerfulness.  As  we  have  seen 
in  Christ  the  head,  and  believers  the  members,  what 
grievous  things  they  have  suffered  for  the  name  and  truth 
of  God,  in  their  crucified  flesh  ;  and  as  this  crucified 
flesh  will  suffer  any  thing  for  God,  so  it  will  suffer  it 
aright ;  that  is,  first,  In  obedience  to  God ;  as  Christ  laid 
down  his  life,  not  by  necessity,  but  willingly.  Secondly, 
In  meekness  and  patience  ;  as  Christy  ivho^  when  he  was 
reviled^  reviled  not  a^^ain;  when  he  suffered^  he  threatened 
not  ;  but  committed  his  cause  to  him  who  judge th  righte- 
ously. And  thirdly,  In  love,  and  that  to  very  persecutors, 
so  as  to  pity  them,  and  pray  for  them.  This  is  glorious 
suffering  indeed !  and  no  flesh  can  suffer  thus,  but  tliis 
crucified  flesh. 

9.  This  crucified  flesh,  as  it  is  able  to  suffer  all  things, 
so  also  to  overcome  all  things.  That  flesh  that  lives  its 
own  life,  is  soon  certainly  conquered  by  all  the  evils  that 
assault  it ;  but  when  it  is  crucified  with  Christ,  it  is  also 
quickened  with  him  to  overcome  all  things.  So  Christ, 
who  was  thus  crucified  by  the  word ;  though  he  seemed 
to  the  world,  in  his  death  and  cross,  to  be  quite  van- 
quished ;  yet  even  then  he  spoiled  principalities  and 
powers,  and  triumphed  openly  over  them ;  yea,  and  over- 
came all  things,  in  that  crucified  flesh  of  his.  For  that 
flesh  that  is  crucified  by  the  word  and  Spirit,  is  thereby 
made  superior  to  all  things,  in  that  exaltation  and  might, 
which  the  word  and  Spirit  communicate  to  it. 

10.  This  crucified  flesh  hath  the  very  glory  of  Jesus 
Christ  upon  it ;  and  no  flesh  is  so  glorious  in  the  church, 
as  that  which  is  most  crucified  with  Christ ;  for  in  that, 
you  shall  see  little  of  itself,  and  most  of  Christ ;  little  of 
the  first  Adam^  and  most  of  the  second.  Look  among  all 
the  sons  of  God,  and  you  shall  see  them  that  were  most 
crucified  with  the  word,  most  glorious ;  the  clear  beauty 
of  holiness  being  seen  upon  them  :  whereas,  that  flesh  that 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  301. 

lives  much  in  itself,  in  its  own  wit,  will,  reason,  prudence, 
mind,  affections,  and  the  things  of  its  first  nature,  though 
there  may  be  something  of  Christ  in  it,  yet  all  these 
things  are  so  much  uncomelintss  and  deformity  upon  it, 
and  are  nothing  but  a  thick  vail  and  covehntj;  to  obscure 
Christ  himself.  But  that  christian  that  is  most  dead  and 
crucified  to  these  things,  he  it  is  that  shines  most  glori- 
oubly  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

Lastly,  This  crucified  flesh  is  the  only  subject  of  the 
glorious  resurrection.  For,  as  the  living  word  and  Spirit, 
that  crucified  Christ's  flesh,  did  again  raise  up  that  cru- 
cified flesh  of  his  from  death,  and  set  it  at  the  right  hand 
of  God  ;  and  thereby  did  plainly  manifest  him  to  be  the 
Son  of  God  ;  so  the  same  word  and  Spirit  that  crucifies 
our  flesh,  shall  as  certainly  raise  it  up  with  Christ,  into 
the  fulness  of  the  life  and  glory  of  God.  And  this  time, 
the  tpostle  calls  the  day  of  the  mamfestation  of  the  sons 
of  God  For  the  word  and  Spirit,  while  they  dwell  in  us, 
and  crucify  us,  they  make  it  only  known  to  us,  and  to 
them  that  live  in  the  same  faith  and  Spirit  with  us,  that 
we  are  the  children  of  God ;  but  when  they  shall  raise  up 
this  flesh  of  ours  (which  they  have  first  crucified)  from 
death  and  the  grave,  into  the  life,  glory  and  eternity  of 
God,  then  it  shall  be  manifest  to  all  the  world,  that  we 
are  his  children. 

And  so  our  crucifying  with  Christ,  is  a  certain  pledge 
of  our  resurrection  with  him  ;  and  this  the  apostle  testifies, 
Rom.  viii.  11.  saying,  He  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the 
deady  shall  quicken  your  mortal  bodies-,  hy  his  Spirit  that 
dwells  in  you :  and  Rom.  vi.  8.  If  we  be  dead  with  him^ 
we  believe  we  shall  also  live  with  him.  If  we  be  dead 
with  him,  that  is,  through  the  word  and  Spirit  first  cruci- 
fying our  flesh,  and  then  offering  it  up  to  death ;  we  believe 
we  shall  live  with  him  that  very  life  which  the  word  and 
Spirit  of  God  did  communicate  to  his  flesh,  when  it  raised 


302  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

him  from  the  grave,  and  fully  translated  him  into  the 
immediate  kingdom  of  God.  And  for  this  cause,  Col. 
i.  18.  Christ  is  called  th^Jirst- born  from  the  dead;  that 
is,  the  first  ivhom  the  word  and  Spirit  did  raise  from  death 
and  the  grave,  and  did  carry  into  the  immediate  presc  nee 
of  God,  as  the  first-fruits  and  pledge  of  their  resurrec- 
tion, who  have  the  same  word  and  Spirit  dwelling  in 
them. 

Whence  it  is  evident,  that  all  that  flesh,  which  the 
Word  and  Spirit  do  crucify  with  Christ,  they  shall  alhO 
raise  up  together  with  him,  and  sit  in  the  same  heavenly 
places  in  him ;  which  is  the  sure  hope  of  all  behevers. 

Now  seeing  all  these  things  are  truth,  and  are  no  lie, 
let  us  willingly  give  up  ourselves  to  be  thus  crucified, 
how  bitter  and  grievous  soever  it  be  to  the  flesh. 

Quest.  Now  if  any  man  shall  say.  How  shall  I  know 
that  I  am  thus  crucified  with  Christ,  that  I  may  have 
interest  in  all  these  advantages  ? 

Answ.  I  answer.  There  are  many  trials  of  this,  some 
of  which  I  will  name  very  briefly,  and  so  conclude  this 
matter. 

As  first,  If  thou  find  thy  own  nature  truly  subdued 
and  changed  by  another  nature  that  is  from  God ;  and 
if  thou  find  thy  own  life  put  to  an  end  by  another  life 
that  is  from  God ;  then  art  thou  crucified  with  Christ 
indeed. 

2.  If  thou  deny  thyself  in  all  things  of  flesh  and  blood, 
and  find  a  new  self  within  thee,  to  have  power  over  thy 
old  self,  which  is  daily  withering  and  decaying  at  the 
presence  of  the  new  creature  j  then  art  thou  crucified 
through  the  word. 

3.  If  thou  be  dead  to  sin,  even  to  all  those  corrup- 
tions and  lusts  which  have  delighted  themselves  in  thee, 
and  thou  again  in  them ;  if  thou  find  thyself  dead  to 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  303 

them,  and  they  killed  in  thee,  then  art  thou  crucified  by 
the  word. 

4.  If  thou  be  dead  to  the  world,  and  to  the  things 
of  it,  which  are  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the 
eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  then  art  thou  crucified  by 
the  uord. 

5.  If  ihou  do  not  mind  the  praise  and  applause  of 
men  on  the  one  hand,  nor  their  reproaches  and  indig- 
nities on  the  other  hand,  but  art  truly  dead  to  both  ;  then 
art  thou  crucified  by  the  word. 

6.  If  thou  be  deceased  and  departed  from  thy  own 
will  and  works,  and  canst  do,  and  delight  to  do  the  will 
and  works  of  God ;  then  is  his  law  within  thy  heart, 
and  thou  art  crucified  by  the  word. 

7.  If  thou  be  ready  prepared  to  bear  and  endure  any 
sufferings  and  persecutions  for  Christ  with  patience,  and 
over  and  above,  with  willingness  and  joy,  and  dost  not 
draw  back  for  any  evils,  but  dost  stand  to  them  and 
overcome  them  ;  then  also  art  thou  crucified  by  the  word, 
and  that  is,  crucified  with  Christ. 

Now  this  our  crucifying  with  Christ,  is  the  chief  and 
greatest  matter  that  we  are  to  mind  in  thib  world  ;  where- 
fore Paul  saith  to  the  Corinthians^  1  Cor.  ii.  2.  ov  yj  'iKnvet 
eicisoLi  x:oniCu^  "  1  did  not  judge  it  worth  the  while  to 
"  know  any  thing  among  you"  (or  to  beiwld  any  thing 
in  you)  *'  hut  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified.^"*  Seeing  in 
this  present  state  of  ours,  this  is  our  chief  business,  to  be 
crucified  with  Christ,  and  to  be  taken  out  of  ourselves, 
and  all  our  own  things,  till  we  be  altogether  reduced  to 
nothing ;  that  we  may  receive  ourselves,  and  all  things 
anew  in  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  chief  work  of  God,  by 
his  word  and  Spirit  upon  the  faithful  here  in  this  world, 
as  it  was  also  his  chief  work  upon  Christ,  in  the  days  of 
his  flesh :  For  though  there  were  in  Christ,  many  clear 
demonstrations  of  the  presence  of  God,  through  which  he 


304  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

wrought  many  of  the  great  works  of  God ;  yet  our  main 
business  that  concerned  Christ's  life  in  the  flesh,  was  daily 
and  thoroughly  to  crucify  him  by  the  word  and  Spirit 
which  dwelt  in  him ;  and  thereby  to  prepare  him,  and 
make  him  fit  for  the  outward  cross,  and  for  that  sad  hour, 
and  power  of  darkness,  that  was  to  overtake  him.  And 
so  this  also  is  to  be  the  chief  business  of  our  lives,  after 
we  do  believe,  even  to  be  daily  crucified,  and  mortified, 
and  killed  by  the  word  and  Spirit  of  Christ,  till  our  will 
be  perfectly  subdued  to  God's,  and  by  these  means,  we 
be  fitted  and  prepared  for  that  tribulation  and  cross,  what- 
ever it  is,  that  the  Lord  shall  please  to  appoint  unto  us, 
either  in  life  or  in  death. 

And  thus,  having  spoken  something  of  the  crucified 
christian,  we  proceed  to  speak,  in  the  next  place,  of  the 
quickened  christian,  from  the  following  words, 
Nevertheless  I  live. 

Every  true  believer  is  as  well  quickened  with  Christ, 
as  crucified  with  him  ;  I  am  crucified  with  Christ,  never- 
theless I  live.     So  that,  as  the  humanity  of  Christ  (which 
is   the  first   example  and   pattern    to  which    the  whole 
church  is  conformed)  being  deprived  of  its  own  proper 
life,  through  the  word  and  Spirit  that  dwelt  in  it,   had 
instead  thereof,  the  life  of  the  Son  of  God  communicated 
to  it ;  and  that  Son  of  man,  having  parted  with  his  own 
proper  life  out  of  himself,  did  yet  truly  live  in  the  same 
soul  and  body,  the  life  of  the  eternal  word ;  and  was  so 
crucified,  that  nevertheless  he  lived  ;  so  also  it  is  with  all 
christians  :   And  therefore  Paul  suith,  out  of  his  own  ex- 
perience, Iain  crucified  with  Christ,  nevertheless  Hive :  as 
if  he  had  said,  "  I  am  not  crucified  to  death,  but  to  life  ; 
my  crucifying  with  Christ  is  my  quickening  ;  for  by  this 
I  am   so   killed,   that  1  live   the  more  ;    yea,   now  only 
I  do  truly  live,    being  formerly  dead.      My  own  proper 
life,  in  myself,  was  my  death;  but  Christ's  life  in  me  is 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  305 

my  true  life.  For  I  was  dead  with  the  worst  death,  to 
wit,  in  trespasses  and  sins ;  but  now  1  live  in  the  best 
life,  even  the  life  of  righteousness." 

Whence  it  is  manifest,  that  the  living  word  and  Spirit 
of  Christ  in  a  christian,  do  so  kill  the  life  of  his  flesh 
(which  is  a  life  of  sin  and  sorrow,  and  darkness  and 
death)  that  at  the  same  time  they  communicate  to  the 
same  man,  to  the  same  soul  and  body,  a  true  and  spiri- 
tual, and  holy,  and  heavenly,  and  eternal  life. 

For  no  man  is  crucified  with  Christ,  but  he  also  lives 
with  him ;  seeing  the  same  word  that  kills  our  life,  com- 
municates Christ's  :  and  Christ  crucifies  us  with  himself, 
not  that  he  may  kill  us,  but  that  he  may  quicken  us, 
and  our  quickening  is  the  end  of  our  crucifying,  and  our 
crucifying  is  the  way  to  our  quickening. 

Indeed,  the  killing  of  the  flesh  by  the  sword  or  famine, 
or  the  law,  or  any  way  else,  is  death  indeed,  or  death 
unto  death;  but  the  killing  of  the  flesh  by  the  living 
word  and  Spirit,  which  is  its  crucifying  with  Christ,  is 
death  unto  life. 

And  here  again  we  may  note  this  also,  that  the  true 
life  of  a  christian  begins  from  his  crucifying  and  dying 
with  Christ ;  and  also  the  true  crucifying  and  dying  of  a 
christian  begins  from  his  life  in  Christ.  For  both  these 
inseparably  go  together,  to  wit,  our  crucifying  and  our 
quickening  with  Christ,  But  our  crucifying  with  Christ 
is  named  first  in  order,  because  it  is  first  in  manifestation ; 
seeing  after  we  believe,  Christ's  death  is  first  manifested 
in  us,  before  Christ's  life  ;  though  Christ's  life  be  first  in 
us  in  order  of  nature ;  the  crucifying  of  our  flesh,  flow- 
ing from  the  life  of  his  Spirit. 

This,  then,  is  the  sum  of  this  matter ;  that  the  living 
word  dwelling  in  us,  destroys  the  proper  life  of  the  flesh, 
and  takes  up  the  flesh  into  the  fife  of  itself  and  the  Spirit, 
And  so  a  man,  in  union  with  Christ,  hath  his  own  life 

Qq 


506  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

destroyed  out  of  him,  and  Christ's  own  life  communicated 
to  him.  So  that,  in  the  true  believer,  the  soul  and  body 
of  man,  live  in  the  life  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  was  done  in 
the  flesh  of  Christ  our  elder  brother. 

And  thus  the  flesh  lives  a  life  that  is  not  of  the  flesh ; 
yea,  thus  the  creature  lives  in  itself  the  life  of  God.  For 
as  that  eternal  life  that  was  with  the  Father,  was  mani- 
fested in  the  Son,  that  is,  in  his  flesh  or  humanity,  and 
all  believers  have  seen  and  known  it ;  so  also,  that  very 
life  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  is  both  communicated  to 
the  saints,  and  also  manifest  in  them,  as  faith  very  well 
knows.  And  this  is  the  great  mystery  of  the  gospel ;  let 
them  receive  it  that  can  receive  it. 

Now  this  new  and  spiritual  life,  which  a  crucified  chris- 
tian partakes  of; 

He  hath  it,  1.  In  Union.     2.  In  Manifestation. 

First,  A  christian  hath  this  life  in  union,  when,  through, 
faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  he  is  really  knit  unto 
Christ,  and  ingrafted  into  him,  and  made  one  with  him. 
For  before  we  are  united  to  Christ,  we  are  without  hfe  ; 
but  as  soon  as  we  are  united  to  him,  we  have  life  from 
him  ;  as  John  saith  in  his  epistle,  he  that  hath  the  Son 
hath  life  ;  (even  that  life  which  the  Son  hath)  and  he  that 
hath  not  the  Son,  hath  not  life.  Now  this  life  and  union 
which  a  christian  hath  through  faith,  is  more  hidden  and 
secret,  as  that  life  is  that  proceeds  from  the  first  real  union 
and  compliance  between  the  stock  and  scion  or  graff";  and 
this  is  the  life  of  justification.  For  as  soon  as  ever  we 
are,  by  faith,  made  one  with  God  in  Christ,  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  is  made  ours,  truly  and  everlastingly  ;  and  in 
this  we  are  justified,  even  before  God. 

2.  A  true  christian  hath  this  life  of  Christ,  not  only  in 
union,  but  also  in  manifestation.  For  when  a  christian 
partakes  of  Christ's  life  by  faith,  this  life  will  not  be  idle 
in  him   (which  is   against  the   nature  of  all  life,  but 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  307 

especially  of  this)  but  most  active  and  operative  ;  and  it 
will  manifest  itself  especially  two  ways,  namely, 
Both  in  Holiness  and  Comfort. 

1.  This  life  will  manifest  itself  in  holiness,  in  the  very 
holiness  of  Christ,  which  is  the  holiness  of  the  divine 
nature  communicated  to  the  human  nature ;  the  Spirit 
itself,  which  is  given  to  a  believer,  as  the  outgoing  of  the 
life  of  God  within  him,  worketh  its  own  works  of  grace 
and  sanctification  in  him,  and  communicates  the  same 
holiness  to  him,  a  member,  as  to  Christ  the  head,  though 
in  a  far  different  degree. 

2.  This  life  of  Christ  in  a  christian,  will  manifest  itself 
in  comfort  as  well  as  in  hohness.  And  this  is  the  life  of 
our  life,  and  the  next  and  necessary  result  of  holiness ; 
wherefore  it  is  said,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  stands  first 
in  righteousness,  and  then  presently  in  peace  and  joy ; 
and  the  same  Spirit  that  is  given  for  a  sanctifier,  is  also 
given  for  a  comforter  :  and  Paul  saith,  Romans  viii.  that 
to  be  spiritually  minded  is  not  only  life^  but  life  and  peace. 
For  when  a  believer  .finds  in  himself  a  new  nature  through 
a  new  birth,  and  the  law  of  God  within  his  heart,  and 
some  strength  to  obey  God,  and  to  do  his  will,  then  he 
begins  to  find  also  a  sweet  and  heavenly  peace  within 
him,  and  many  times,  joy  unspeakable  and  glorious. 
And  thus  is  a  crucified  christian's  new  life  manifested, 
both  in  holiness,  and  also  in  spiritual  peace  and  joy. 

And  now  (to  speak  one  word  by  way  of  application) 
let  us,  each  one,  seriously  consider,  whether  he  do  indeed 
partake  of  such  a  Ufe  as  is  risen  to  him  out  of  death  ? 
whether  he  find  that  he  hath  parted  with  his  own  life, 
and  gotten  another  life  than  his  own,  in  his  own  soul  and 
body  ?  and  whether  the  life  of  the  first  Adam  be  crucified 
in  him,  and  he  live  the  life  of  the  second  Adam  ?  that  is, 
not  a  natural,  but  a  spiritual  life ;  not  a  human,  but  a 
divine  life ;  not  an  e^hly,  but  a  heavenly  life  ;  not  a 


308  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

temporal,  but  an  eternal  life :  for  thus  do  all  live  that 
are  truly  crucified  with  Christ.  And  I  desire  we  all 
would  the  rather  mind  this ;  because  if  we  part  with  this 
life  ere  we  partake  of  that,  the  second  death,  which  is 
everlasting  death  in  sin,  and  the  wrath  of  God,  must  needs 
swallow  us  up ;  and  because,  if  we  do  not  partake  of 
Christ's  life  here,  we  can  never  live  with  him  in  his  king- 
dom ;  and  also  because  we  can  never  have  true  and  im- 
mediate communion  with  the  Father,  but  in  the  life  of 
his  eternal  Son :  Wherefore  let  all  such  whose  hearts  God 
hath  touched  by  his  word,  make  it  their  business  to  seek 
from  God  in  Christ  another  life  than  their  own ;  a  life 
infinitely  better  and  stronger  than  their  own :  and  a  life, 
which,  at  the  will  of  God,  will  offer  up  their  own :  that 
we  may  say  in  our  experience,  as  Paul  in  his,  We  are 
cnicified  with  Christ  yet  nevertheless  we  live. 

Now  the  apostle,  having  named  this  blessed  life,  doth 
further  enlarge  himself  on  this  matter  in  the  words  fol- 
lowing, saying, 

Yet  not  /,  but  Christ  lives  in  me. 

And  this  he  speaks,  lest  any  one  should  think  that  the 
life  he  lived  after  his  crucifying  with  Christ,  was  only 
his  own  human  life,  purified  and  refined.  I  say,  lest  any 
one  should  think  he  lived  now  the  life  of  his  own  refined 
and  spiritualized  reason,  and  judgment,  and  prudence, 
and  will,  &c.  distinct  and  apart  from  Christ ;  therefore 
he  adds,*  Yet  not  /,  but  Christ  lives  in  me.  And  each  of 
these  clauses  are  very  considerable. 

Yet  not  /. 

I  live,  yet  not  I.  By  which  words  it  may  appear,  that 
a  christian  is  so  crucified  with  Christ,  that  in  this  cruci- 
fying he  loses  not  only  his  own  proper  life,  but  (which 
must  needs  follow "l  his  personaHty  also.  For  through 
faith,  his  soul  and  body  live  no  more  any  proper  life  of 
their  own,  as  before,  but  are  taken  up  into  the  nature 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  309 

and  person  of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  in  him  he  subsists, 
lives,  and  acts  as  a  member  in  the  man,  and  as  a  branch 
in  the  vine ;  and  so  can  truly  say,  after  faith  is  come,  / 
live^  yet  no  more  /,  but  it  is  another  that  Uves  in  me,  and 
I  in  him ;  so  that  a  true  christian,  through  faith,  doth 
lose  his  personality,  not  his  humanity;  for  his  nature 
lives,  but  not  in  his  own  person,  but  in  the  person  of 
Christ. 

•  Indeed  every  man  by  nature,  and  according  to  his  first 
birth,  is  a  distinct  person  by  himself,  and  lives  a  proper 
life  of  his  o\ni,  in  and  by  himself,  till  faith  comes  and 
knits  him  unto  Christ ;  and  then  he  subsists  in  Christ's 
person,  and  is  no  more  a  person  distinct  by  himself;  so 
far  as  he  is  gathered  up  into  Christ,  through  faith  and  the 
Spirit,  and  lives  and  acts  in  him.  For  then  Christ  is 
made  so  one  with  a  christian,  and  a  christian  with  Christ, 
that  there  is  no  more  distinction  between  them  in  this 
unity,  than  there  is  between  the  head  and  a  member. 

Now  the  knowledge  of  this  point,  through  the  experi- 
ence of  faith,  is  of  excellent  use  to  a  christian  in  the 
matter  of  his  salvation. 

Inasmuch  as  each  man,  as  he  is  a  distinct  person  by 
himself,  is  under  the  law,  and  appertains  to  the  kingdom 
of  the  ^vil,  and  is  within  the  reach  and  power  of  death 
and  hell ;  but  as  he  is  taken  into  Jesus  Christ  by  faith, 
that  is,  as  he  is  taken  into  his  person  as  his  member,  and 
loseth  his  own  person,  so  he  is  free  from  the  law,  sin  and 
death,  as  Christ  is  free.  So  that,  if  the  law,  sin,  death, 
or  die  devil,  come  to  a  believer,  to  accuse,  terrify  or  con- 
demn him,  he  (because  of  this  most  real  and  near  union 
with  Christ)  may  reply  in  truth,  and  say,  "  It  is  not  I ; 
I  am  not  I,  I  am  through  faith  become  a  member  of 
Christ,  and  I  am  he,  and  he  is  I ;  and  if  you  have  any 
thing  to  say,  say  it  to  the  person  himself,  for  I  am  but  a 
member,  and  do  live  in  his  person," 


310  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

The  clear  and  spiritual  knowledge  of  this  matter, 
would  be  a  great  support  to  us  in  all  times  of  temptation, 
and  in  all  deep  sense  of  sin  and  wrath ;  seeing  we  com- 
monly, in  such  sad  and  painful  hours,  do  look  upon  our- 
selves as  persons  by  ourselves,  and  distinct  from  Christ ; 
and  then  we  do  truly  both  fear  and  feel  sin,  and  death, 
and  hell  within  us ;  and  then  also  the  devil,  and  our  own 
evil  consciences,  are  too  mighty  for  us,' when  we  consider 
ourselves  in  ourselves.  Wherefore,  at  such  times  we  mu§t 
needs  prevail  by  faith ;  and  know  that  we,  through  faith, 
are  not  persons  by  ourselves,  but  that  we  are  parts  and 
members  of  Christ,  and  live  in  his  person,  and  conse- 
quently in  so  near  union  with  him,  that  Christ  cannot  be 
saved  without  us,  nor  we  perish  without  him.  And  so 
none  can  lay  any  thing  to  our  charge,  but  what  Christ 
hath  taken  upon  himself,  and  overcome  for  us  ;  and  so 
the  law,  sin,  death,  hell  and  devil,  can  as  soon  prevail 
against  Christ  as  against  us,  who  are  so  joined  to  him, 
that  we  are  one  flesh  and  Spirit  with  him. 

It  is  true,  if  we  were  persons  by  ourselves,  these  evils 
and  enemies  would  be  too  hard  for  us ;  but  being  drawn 
unto  Christ  by  the  Father,  and  being  by  him  also  im- 
planted  in  Christ,  and  made  branches  of  that  vine,  and 
members  of  that  person,  we  thus  become  one  with  him 
who  is  conqueror  of  all  things,  and  we  ourselves  also  are 
more  than  conquerors  in  him. 

Wherefore  let  us  all  know,  that  in  the  matter  of  our 
adoption,  justification,  sanctification,  and  of  our  whole 
salvation,  Prorsus  abjicienda  est  persona^  as  Luther  saith, 
*'  We  must  wholly  cast  away  our  own  person,"  and 
be  united  into  one  person  with  Christ,  yea,  and  lose  our 
person  in  his ;  seeing  out  of  this  union  Christ  profits 
nobody,  either  to  the  escaping  sin  and  death,  or  to  the 
obtaining  righteousness  and  life. 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  311 

Wherefore,  for  the  escaping  these  eternal  evil  things, 
and  for  the  obtaining  these  eternal  good  things,  we  must 
necessarily  be  so  taken  up  into  Christ,  that  we  may  say 
with  Pauly  It  is  no  more  I. 

Yet  not  L 

And  here  I  must  needs  note  one  thing  more,  ere  I 
conclude  this  matter,  and  that  is  this  ; 

That  a  believer  must  be  so  taken  up  into  Christ  by 
faith,  that  as  Christ  must  work  all  in  him,  so  he  must 
attribute  all  Christ's  works  unto  Christ,  and  none  to  him- 
self ;  still  saying,  in  the  midst  of  the  exercise  of  all  graces 
and  virtues.  It  is  not  I.  It  is  not  I  that  live,  but  Christ 
himself  that  lives  in  me  this  life  of  grace,  righteousness, 
wisdom,  meekness,  goodness,  humility,  patience,  power, 
love,  &c.  It  is  not  I  that  live  in  myself,  but  Christ  that 
lives  it  in  me ;  as  he  saith  elsewhere,  /  laboured  more 
abundantly  than  they  all ;  yet  not  /,  but  the  grace  of  God 
that  dwelleth  in  me. 

After  the  same  manner,  as  every  christian  must  keep  his 
rest  in  Christ,  and  must  suffer  Christ  to  work  all  his  own 
works  in  him,  so  he  must  still  attribute  all  Christ's  works 
unto  Christ,  and  be  still  saying,  It  is  not  /,  but  Christ  in 
me  that  hath  done  these  works,  that  hath  endured  and 
overcome  these  evils. 

And  thus  must  we  keep  our  sabbath  in  Christ,  as 
Christ  kept  his  sabbath  in  God.  For  Christ  was  so  taken 
up  into  God,  and  filled  with  him,  that  he  said  of  his 
humanity,  /  can  do  nothing  of  myself;  and  again.  The 
Father  within  me,  he  doth  the  works ;  and  again.  The 
words  I  speak  are  not  mine^  but  his  that  sent  me  ;  and  so 
Christ,  in  all  his  great  works,  said,  not  /,  but  the  Father 
in  me;  so  we,  in  all  our  works  that  are  truly  spi- 
ritual, must  say,  not  we  but  Christ  in  us.  And  this  only 
a  mortified  christian  can  truly  perform  ;  for  others  will  be 


312  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

attributing  the  works  of  Christ  to  themselves,  rather  than 
to  Christ,  and  be  glorying  in  themselves  more  than  in  him. 
It  follows, 

But  Christ  lives  in  me» 

For,  lest  any  should  think  Uiat  Paul  had  a  new  habit 
of  life  created  in  him,  he  adds  this,  that  we  must  know 
it  was  Christ  himself  within  him  that  was  his  life,  even 
that  word  of  life,  and  Son  of  God,  that  made  the  world 
and  no  created  habit  of  life.  That  as  that  word  that  was 
with  God,  and  was  God,  and  dwelt  in  the  humanity  of 
Christ,  was  that  very  life  of  his  humanity ;  so  the  same 
word  of  God  dwelling  in  us  through  Christ,  is  also  our 
life,  as  it  was  his.  And  as  the  body  hath  no  habit  of 
life  in  itself,  distinct  and  apart  from  the  reasonable  soul ; 
but  the  soul  itself  that  dwells  in  the  body,  is  the  life  of 
the  body ;  and  when  the  soul  withdraws,  the  body  is 
dead,  and  hath  no  habit  of  life  in  itself  afterwards ;  so 
the  life  of  a  christian  doth  as  immediately  flow  from 
Christ,  as  the  life  of  the  body  from  the  soul;  and  if 
Christ  should  withdraw,  all  spiritual  life  would  leave  him, 
and  the  second  death  would  swallow  him  up.  And  as 
the  very  presence  of  the  soul  in  each  member  is  the  life 
of  it,  so  is  Christ's  presence  in  all  his  members,  their  true 
and  very  life.  Wherefore  Paul  saith  here,  Christ  lives  in 
me^  as  God  lived  in  Christ,  and  as  the  soul  lives  in  the 
body. 

And  so,  as  Paul  had  affirmed  before,  That  it  was  not  he 
tht  livedo  so  here  he  shews  who  it  was  that  did  live  in 
him,  and  that  is  Christ ; 

Christ  lives  in  me. 

Indeed  the  soul  and  body  were  Paul's^  but  Paul  did 
not  live  in  his  own  soul  and  body,  but  Christ  himself  did 
live  in  them  ;  and  so  Paul  lived  the  life  of  another  in 
himself,  the  lile  of  Christ  in  his  own  soul  and  body ;  and 
the  soul  and  body  of  Paul  were  but  a  temple  in  which 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  313 

Christ  lived  more  than  himself,  as  the  humanity  of  Christ 
was  but  a  temple  in  which  God  lived  more  than  himself. 

So  that  it  is  Christ  himself  that  lives  in  a  true  believer, 
and  he  is,  and  doth,  and  suffers,  and  overcomes  all  in 
him. 

Now,  that  we  may  not  mistake  in  this  great  matter,  we 
must  rightly  understand  what  this  Christ  is  that  lives  in 
a  believer  :  now  this  is  not  the  flesh  of  Christ ;  for  that 
beint?  a  creature,  and  in  all  things  like  unto  our  flesh,  sin 
excepted,  can  be  but  in  one  place  at  a  time  ;  but  this 
Christ  is  the  eternal  wordy  and  Son  of  the  living  God^  the 
power,  wisdom,  and  righteousness  of  God,  and  the  true 
God  and  eternal  life.  This  is  the  Christ  that  lived  in 
Pauly  and  lives  in  every  believer. 

Now  if  we  rightly  understand  this  point,  we  may  learn 
from  it  many  excellent  things. 

And  first  we  may  perceive  the  mistake  of  those  who 
look  for  all  the  life  of  Christ  in  that  humanity  which 
was  born  of  the  virgin  ;  whereas  Christ  truly  lived  in 
Paul,  and  lives  in  all  the  faithful,  and  his  very  life  is  to 
be  seen  in  them  ;  as  the  life  of  the  soul  is  not  confined  to 
the  head,  but  disperses  itself  through  all  the  members, 
and  is  manifest  in  them  in  measure,  as  in  the  head  in 
fulness. 

2.  We  may  learn  that  Christ  in  a  believer,  is  to  him 
instead  of  all  created  habits  of  grace.  Christ,  who  is  the 
true  God,  is  all  in  all  in  a  christian ;  and  so  a  christian 
partakes  of  that  righteousness  which  is  Christ ;  of  that 
wisdom  which  is  Christ ;  of  that  power,  truth,  goodness, 
&c.  which  is  Christ ;  and  Christ  that  dwells  in  believers, 
is  truly  all  grace  to  them.  And  herein  they  are  like  unto 
Christ's  humanity,  unto  whom  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head that  dwelt  in  him,  was  instead  of  all  created  grace. 
Wherefore  let  us  know,  that  the  created  habits  of  grace 
in  a  christian,  which  the  schoolmen  have  invented  and 

Rr 


314  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

taught,  and  others  have  received  from  them,  are  nothing 
but  the  empty  notions  and  vain  spt-culations  of  carnal 
and  unbelievinj^  hearts,  ignorant  of  the  true  mystery  of 
the  gospel.  For  Christ,  that  lives  in  a  believer,  is  all 
grace  to  him;  and  thus  the  apostle  jPaz// expressly  teacheth 
in  1  Cor  i.  30.  where,  speaking  of  Christ,  he  saith,  Be  is 
made  wito  us  of  God,  wisdom,  righteous?iess,  sarictification 
and  redemption  ;  and  so  a  christian  hath  that  wisdom,  righ- 
teousness, &c.  which  is  Christ  himself.  And  this  grace, 
which  is  Christ  himself,  is  infinitely  more  high  and  holy, 
than  all  created  habits  of  grace ;  and  this  is  the  only 
grace  that  is  acceptable  to  God,  and  that  makes  us  ac- 
cepted in  itself;  and  this  is  the  only  grace,  against  which 
the  gates  of  hell  cannot  prevail ;  and  the  only  grace  that 
can  make  us  meet  for  the  Father's  kingdom.  And  thus 
you  see  that  Christ,  that  lives  in  a  believer,  is  all  grace  in 
him,  and  all-sufficient  grace  for  him. 

3.  If  Christ  live  in  believers,  then  certainly,  whatever 
evils,  and  tribulations,  and  persecutions,  are  brought  upon 
believers  by  fhfe  world,  and  the  false  church,  for  the 
word  of  faith,  they  are  brought  upon  Christ  himself, 
and  Christ  himself  is  still  persecuted  in  the  flesh,  through- 
out all  a^es  and  generations ;  and  the  faithful  in  all 
ages  are  filling  up  the  remainders  of  the  sufferings  of 
Christ  in  his  body.  For  believers  have  all  along  suffered, 
and  do  still  suffer  from  the  world,  because  God  is  in  them 
of  a  truth  ;  and  the  evil  done  to  them  is  against  God  him- 
self, who  dwells  in  them.  And  against  this  rock  have 
all  the  unbelieve»*s  dashed  themselves  in  pieces  all  along. 
,  4.  Christ,  who  lives  in  believers,  lives  in  them  like 
himself,  that  is,  like  the  Son  of  the  living  God  ;  and  so 
those  in  whom  he  lives, 

1.  He  frees  them  from  their  own  evil  things,  and 
2".  He  confers  upon  them  all  his  own  good  things. 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  315 

1.  He  frees  them  from  their  evil  things:  and  in  refer- 
ence to  these,  he  lives  in  them  as  their  Redeemer  and 
Saviour ;  and  so  Ciirist  within  them  abolishes  the  law, 
takes  away  sin,  and  destroys  death ;  for  none  of  these 
things  can  dwell  in  his  presence,  in  that  soul  wherein  he 
lives.  For  he  is  our  new  law,  to  make  void  the  old ; 
and  he  is  our  new  righteousness,  to  take  away  sin ;  and 
our  new  life,  to  destroy  death ;  and  the  law,  sin  and 
death,  can  have  no  place  nor  power,  where  Christ  our 
new  law,  righteousness  and  life,  dwells  and  lives. 

2.  Christ,  living  in  believers,  confers  upon  them  his 
own  good  things ;  for  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  hath  no- 
thing in  himself,  that  is  in  his  divine  nature,  which  he  will 
not  communicate  to  our  flesh,  as  he  hath  done  to  his  own, 
according  to  our  place  and  use  in  his  body ;  and  so  he 
communicates  to  all  those  in  whom  he  dwells,  of  all  the 
things  of  God,  till  at  last  he  fills  them  with  all  the  fulness 
of  God.  And  thus  is  Christ  glorified  in  his  saints,  and 
admired  in  them  that  beheve. 

5.  If  it  be  Christ  the  true  God  that  lives  in  believers, 
then  we  learn  hence  what  true  justification  is;  and  that 
is,  to  be  so  one  with  Christ  by  faith,  that  Christ  himself 
may  live  in  us,  and  vve  in  him  ;  that  he  may  communicate 
his  nature  to  us,  and  our  nature  may  be  taken  up  into 
his;  for  we  cannot  be  justified  before  God  by  our  own 
living,  but  by  Christ's  living  in  us  his  own  lifq,;  and  his 
righteousness,  which  is  the  righteousness  of  God,  must 
dwell  in  us,  ere  wc  can  be  justified  before  God. 

Lastly,  Seeing  Christ  himself  lives  in  all  true  believers, 
let  us  all,  who  profess  ourselves  to  be  such,  so  live,  that 
Christ  may  be  seen  to  live  in  us,  more  than  ourselves ; 
that  they  that  have  known  us,  may  know  us  no  more, 
but  may  know  Christ  in  us;  and  that  they  that  have 
communion  with  us,  may  acknowledge  Christ  himself 
speaking,  working,  and  living  his  own  life  in  us,  in  all 


316  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

self-denial,  humility,  holiness,  love,  resignation  of  our- 
selves to  the  will  of  God,  and  in  all  diligence  to  do  the 
work  of  God,  and  readiness  to  suffer  the  will  of  God  ; 
for  thus  Christ  live4  in  his  own  flesh,  and  thus  also  he 
will  certainly  live  in  ours,  if  he  live  there  at  ail ;  and 
when  Christ  lives  in  our  flesh,  as  he  did  in  his  own,  some- 
thing of  his  glory  will  be  seen  upon  us. 

Now  such  a  christian,  in  whom  Christ  lives,  and  he 
lives  not  himself^  how  amiable  would  he  be  in  the  spiri- 
tual church !  but  how  unlike  would  he  be  to  all  the  men 
in  the  world,  yea,  to  the  most  professors  in  that  which  is 
called  the  visible  church  !  But  1  proceed  to  that  which 
follows. 

And  the  life  I  live  in  the  Jlesh^  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God, 

And  here  note,  in  the  first  place,  that  Paul  sometimes 
saith,  Christ  lives  in  him^  and  sometimes  that  he  lives  ;  / 
live  saith  he,  yet  not  I  but  Christ  lives  in  me ;  and  again 
the  life  I  live.  The  life  I  live,  saith  he,  of  that  very  life 
which  Christ  lived  in  him.  All  which  shows  the  near 
union  and  communion  betwixt  Christ  and  a  believer  ; 
Christ  and  a  true  chtistian  being  so  much  one,  that  what 
one  doth,  the  other  may  truly  be  said  to  do. 

So  that,  as  God  and  Christ  were  so  united,  that  the 
very  works  of  God  in  Christ,  sometimes  were  attributed 
to  God,  and  sometimes  to  Christ,  (as  is  manifest  in  divers 
places  in  the  gospel)  and  it  made  no  difference  whether 
they  were  attributed  to  God  in  Christ,  or  to  Chriyt  in 
God.  Just  so  it  is  betwixt  Christ  and  believers,  who  are 
as  nearly  united  as  God  and  Christ,  as  Christ  himself 
(whom  we  may  safely  believe)  affirms,  in  John  xiv.  20. 
say  ini^,  In  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  lam  in  my  Father ^ 
and  you  in  me^  and  I  in  you. 

In  that  day,  that  is,  when  the  Spirit  is  given,  and 
comes  into  the  hcnrt,  wliich  makes  the  true  Lord's-day 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  317 

in  a  believer ;  in  that  day,  when  the  Spirit  is  the  light, 
vvhtreby  we  see  and  know  aright  all  the  things  of  God  : 
in  that  day,  ye  shall  know  this  great  mystery,  which  the 
world,  and  the  worldly  church,  cannot  know,  but  will 
bt  greatly  offt  nded  at  it  whf  n  they  hear  it ;  to  wit,  that 
I  am  in  my  Father,  and  you  in  we,  and  I  in  you.  And  in 
John  xvii.  21.  Christ,  who  was  heard  in  all  things,  in  his 
last,  solemn  prayer  for  his  elect  church,  in  the  days  of  his 
fle^h,  intreats  his  Father,  that  this  may  be  accomplished 
in  all  the  believers  ;  praying,  that  they  all  may  be  one^  as 
thou^  Father^  art  ik  me  and  I  in  thee  ;  that  they  also  may 
be  one  in  us.  From  which  scriptures  we  may  see  and 
perceive,  that  as  Christ  is  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father 
in  him,  so  believers  are  in  Christ,  and  Christ  in  them  ; 
and  hereupon,  the  works  of  believers  are  sometimes  attri- 
buted to  Christ,  and  sometimes  to  them ;  and  it  is  no 
matter  whether  they  be  attril^uted  to  Christ  in  them,  or  to 
them  in  Christ ;  seeing  it  is  Christ  in  believers  that  is  all, 
and  doth  all,  and  hath  the  glory  of  all. 

Now  this  use,  we  who  are  believers,  may  make  of 
this  ;  to  wit,  that  it  is  our  duty  so  to  live  in  Christ,  that 
every  part  of  our  life  may  be  attributed  to  him,  and  may 
be  such,  that  Christ  may  not  be  ashamed  to  own  it,  but 
that  it  may  be  a  praise  to  Christ,  he  doing  all  in  us,  and 
we  doing  nothing  but  in  him,  and  of  him,  and  for  him. 
And  the  life  I  live  ( cv  c-^ox/)  in  thejlesh. 

This  Paul  speaks,  to  shew  that  the  life  he  lived  after 
he  was  a  Ijeliever,  was  not  out  of  the  flesh,  in  the  religion 
of  angels,  in  strange  raptures  and  revelations,  and  in  high 
and  wonderful  things  above  himself;  but  that  the  life  he 
lived  in  Christ,  and  Christ  lived  in  him,  was  in  the  flesh, 
that  is,  in  his  human  soul  and  body.  There  are  a  sort 
of  people  (which  also  have  been  professors  of  the  gospel) 
so  deluded  by  the  devil,  that  they  say  they  live  the 
life  of  Christ,  yea,  a  life  far  above  Christ  in  the  Spirit, 


318  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

and  that  they  live  immediately  in  God,  and  have  often 
visions  of^  and  intercourse  with  angels,  whilst  these 
very  people  live  the  life  of  sin  and  Satan  in  the  flesh, 
in  all  manner  of  filthiness,  and  uncleanness,  and  looseness, 
and  abominable  profaneness. 

Wherefore  Paul^  saith  /  live  the  life  of  Christ  in  the 
fiesh,  in  this  soul  and  body  of  mine :  I  live  in  the  flesh, 
but  not  after  the  lusts  and  requiring  of  the  flesh  ;  but  I 
live  Christ's  life  in  my  own  flesh,  in  all  righteousness,  holi- 
ness, cleanness,  purity,  meekness,  goodness,  love,  patience, 
heavenliness ;  this  is  the  life  I  now  live  in  the  flesh. 

2.  Note  hence  again,  that  the  life  of  Christ  is  to  fill  a 
christian ;  not  his  spirit  only,  but  his  flesh  ;  it  is  to  fill 
his  soul  and  his  senses,  his  inward  and  outward  man  ; 
his  thoughts,  words,  works,  and  his  whole  conversation ; 
the  life  of  Christ  is  to  fill  them  all. 

The  life  of  Christ  is  first  communicated  to  the  spirit 
of  our  mind ;  there  it  is  first  kindled  and  rooted ;  and 
from  thence,  by  degrees,  it  spreads  itself  into  the  flesh ; 
and  to  this  the  flesh  is  most  unwilling;  but  at  last  the 
Spirit  overcomes  the  flesh,  and  leads  it  forth  into  its  own 
righteousness  and  life. 

And  hence  we  may  learn,  that  our  present  natural  life 
doth  not  hinder  us,  but  that  we  may  live  a  spiritual  and 
heavenly  fife,  or  the  very  life  of  Christ  in  our  flesh,  if  we 
be  true  believers  :  Wherefore  Paul,  elsewhere  speaking 
of  believers,  saith,  the  Father  hath  quickened  us  with 
Christ.,  and  raised  us  up  together  with  him.,  and  set  us  in 
heavenly  places  in  him  ;  and  that  whilst  we  live  a  natural 
life  according  to  the  body. 

So  that  here,  in  this  present  world,  we  may  partake  of 
Eternal  life,  and  may  live  (not  in  notion  but  in  deed) 
the  hfe  of  the  Spirit  in  the  flesh,  and  the  life  of  heaven 
©n  earth,  and  the  life  of  the  Son  of  God  in  our  humanity, 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  319 

if   we  do  not  deprive  ourselves  of  so  great  happiness 
through  unbelief. 

Again,  we  may  learn  hence,  that  the  life  of  the  Son 
of  God,  is  not  to  be  confined  only  to  that  humanity  that 
was  born  of  the  blessed  virgin,  which  was  the  head  of 
the  elect,  but  that  it  extends  itself  to  all  true  believers, 
in  whom  Christ  lives  as  his  own  flesh  ;  as  Paul  saith, 
Christ  lives  in  me^  even  in  my  Jlesh  ;  which,  through  this 
life  of  Christ  in  it,  became  Christ's  more  than  FauPs* 
So  that  the  life  of  the  Son  of  God  is  communicated  truly 
to  all  the  faithful,  and  is  to  be  seen  in  their  flesh  in  some 
measure,  as  well  as  in  his  in  all  fulness ;  as  the  life  of 
the  soul  in  a  man  is  not  corrfined  to  the  head,  but  dis- 
perseth  itself  to  all  the  members,  and  -is  truly  manifest  in 
them. 

Hive  through  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God, 

Here  the  apostle  shews  the  way  or  means  how  Christ 
came  to  live  in  him,  and  he  in  Christ,  and  that  is  through 
faith. 

Christ,  saith  he,  so  lives  in  me,  that  yet  I  live  in  the 
flesh ;  but  the  life  I  live  in  the  flesh,  is  not  the  life  of  the 
flesh,but  I  live  in  thefesh  the  life  of  faith  in  the  Son  of  God, 

Now,  touching  this  excellent  grace  of  faith,  much 
might  be  said ;  but  I  shall  endeavour  to  give  you  the 
sum  of  all  in  as  few  words  as  may  be. 

And  first,  I  shall  shey  you,  that  the  right  faith  is  not 
any  work  of  ours,  but  it  is  wholly  the  work  of  God  in 
us  :  And  therefore  it  is  called  by  Paul,  Col.  ii.  12.  Faith 
rm  v/spyeiKi  m  ©en  of  the  operatio?!  of  God^  and  that  ac- 
cording to  thiit  mighty  power,  which  he  put  forth  in 
Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead ;  as  ithe  same 
apostle  speaks  in  Eph.  i.  19,  20.  It  was  a  work  of  the 
migfjty  power  of  God,  to  unite  Christ's  human  nature  to 
the  divine,  though  it  were  wholly  free  from  sin ;  but  it  is 


320  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

a  greater  work  of  power  to  unite  us  to  God  in  Christ, 
who  are  full  of  sin  ;  and  yet  God  doth  this  through  faith 
in  all  true  believers,  as  I  shall  shew  in  the  next  place. 

2.  As  faith  is  MTOught  in  us  by  God,  and  is  his  con- 
stant work  in  us,  so  this  faith  doth  apprehend  God  in 
Christ,  even  the  divine  nature  of  Christ  in  the  human  ; 
and  the  Son  of  the  living  God  in  the  son  of  man,  as  the 
apostle  shews  here,  saying,  Hive  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
God:  Shewing  that  the  chief  thing  that  faith  respects  and 
apprehends  in  Christ,  is  the  Son  of  God.  And  Peter,  in 
1  Pet,  \,  21.  saith,  that  the  faithful,  through  Christ,  do 
believe  in  God,  who  raised  him  from  the  dead:  So  that  that 
only  is  true  faith,  which  doth  apprehend  and  receive  the 
true  God  in  Jesus  Christ. 

And  thus,  from  these  two  things,  we  may  in  some 
measure  understand  the  true  nature  of  faith,  which  is 
nothing  but  this,  the  Father's  laying  hold  on  us  by  his 
Spirit,  and  drawing  us, to  the  Son,  and  enabling  us  to 
receive  the  Son,  and  so  making  us  one  with  the  Son,  to 
abide  and  live  in  him  for  ever.  So  that,  through  trije 
faith,  we  have  the  nearest  union  and  conjunction  with 
the  Son  of  the  living  God,  that  any  creature  can  have, 
next  after  the  humanity  of  Christ. 

Now  from  this  union,  which  we  have  with  the  Son  of 
God  through  faith,  do  flow  many  excellent  advantages 
to  believers  ;  some  of  which  I  shall  name  now ;  as, 

1.  Hereby  they  are  made  the  sons  of  God  ;  as  John 
saith,  John  i.  As  many  as  received  him,  that  is,  the  Word 
that  was  with  God,  and  was  God,  and  was  made  flesh  ; 
as  many  as  received  him  by  believing,  to  them  he  gave 
power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  As  that  Word,  or  Son  of 
God,  coming  into  the  humanity  of  Christ  (which  was  in 
all  things  like  ours,  sin  excepted)  gave  it  authority^lind 
power  to  become  the  Son  of  God  ;  so  the  same  Word 
coming  unto  us,  through  Christ,  gives  us  power  to  be- 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  321 

come  the  sons  of  God  in  him,  as  the  fire  gives  the  iron 
in  which  it  dwells,  power  to  be  light  and  heat. 

And  so  through  faith,  we  have  not  only  the  name,  but 
also  the  nature  of  sons.  For  faith,  uniting  us  to  Christ, 
changeth  us  into  a  new  nature,  and  takes  from  us  what 
we  are  in  regard  of  sin,  and  makes  us  what  Christ  is  in 
regard  of  righteousness  ;  and  so  it  makes  us  new  in  heart, 
mind,  will,  affections,  ends,  and  in  our  whole  conversa- 
tion; for  it  brings  God's  nature  into  ours,  and  this 
changeth  our  nature  into  its  own  likeness  ;  so  that  what- 
soever we  do,  or  whatever  our  condition  in  the  world  is, 
we  shall  still  carry  ourselves  in  all  things  as  the  children 
of  God,  in  some  demonstration  of  the  divine  nature. 

2.  Through  this  faith  in  the  Son  of  God,  we  are  made, 
not  only  sons,  but  "heirs;  heirs  of  God,  and  joint- heirs 
with  Christ :"  that  as  Christ,  according  to  his  human  na- 
ture, being  made  one  with  the  Son  of  God,  by  whom^ 
and  for  whom,  all  things  were  made^  was  in  him  made  heir 
of  all  things ;  so  we,  through  that  faith  whereby  we  re- 
ceive the  Son,  are  made  heirs  with  Christ,  in  such  sort, 
that  all  things  are  ours,  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Ce- 
phas, or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or 
things  to  come,  all  are  ours  whilst  we  are  Christ's,  1  Cor, 
iii.  21.  as  all  is  Christ's  whilst  he  is  God's.  Now  this  is 
a  very  glorious  inheritance,  which,  as  faith  only  appre- 
hends, so  faith  only  understands. 

And  this  inheritance  happens  to  us,  not  through  the 
works  of  the  law,  that  is,  not  through  any  outward 
works  of  outward  righteousness  whatsoever,  but  through 
the  righteousness  of  faith,  through  which  faith  we  arc 
truly  made  one  with  the  Son  of  God  in  Christ  (as  hath 
been  said)  and  in  and  with  him,  do  truly  inherit  both 
God  and  the  creature. 

3.  This  true  faith,  carrying  us  into  the  Son  of  God, 
and  placing  us  in  him,  to  abide  in  him,  doth  truly  curry 

Ss 


•  « 


322  THE  CRUCIFIED  AND 

us  out  of  the  utmost  reach  of  all  evil  things  ;  out  of  the 
reach  of  the  law,  sin,  death  and  hell,  seeing  these  can 
have  no  place  nor  presence  in  the  Son  of  God;  and 
though  these  evils  may  reach  us  whilst  wc  dwell  in  our- 
selves, yet  we  are  got  out  of  their  reach,  so  far  forth,  as 
by  faith  we  dwell  in  him. 

4.  This  right  faith  carries  us  into  the  Son  of  God, 
and  doth  carry  us  into  all  his  perfections  and  excellencies, 
into  his  nature  and  life,  and  wisdom,  and  power,  and 
glory,  and  into  all  the  fulness  of  the  Son  of  the  living 
God  ;  and  so  true  faith  enriches  a  believer  in  Christ,  with 
greater  treasure  than  the  heart  of  a  carnal  christian  can 
possibly  give  credit  to ;  for  through  faith  we  are  carried 
into  the  Son  of  God,  to  have  ail  that  he  hath,  and  he 
again  comes  and  fills  us  with  all  that  he  is  and  hath. 

5.  True  faith  carries  us  into  Christ,  and  makes  us  one 
with  him,  as  the  author  and  original  of  all  our  good 
works.  For  through  this,  God  dwells  in  us,  and  works 
his  own  works  in  us ;  and  we  again  dwell  in  him,  and 
work  his  own  works  in  him ;  and  those  only  are  true 
good  works,  which  God,  that  dwells  in  us,  v»'orks  in  us, 
and  which  we,  dwelling  in  God,  work  in  him. 

Y^,  a  believer  who  is  one  with  Christ,  not  only  doth 
good  works,  but  doth  them  continually ;  for  Christ  in 
him  is  always  active ;  and  whilst  he  is  in  Christ,  he  must 
be  ahvaj^s  active :  and  therefore,  saith  Christ,  He  that 
ah'ideth  in  inc,  andlin  him^  the  same  bringeth  forth  much 
fruity  John  xv.  For,  through  this  mutual  abiding  of 
Christ  and  a  christian  in  each  other,  a  christian  as  naturally 
and  as  necessarily  doth  the  works  of  God,  as  the  fire  burns, 
or  the  sun  shines. 

And  these  are  some  of  the  advantages  a  christian  hath, 
through  yf/?Mm  the  Son  of  God. 

By  all  which  we  may  perceive,  that  true  faith  is  a 
greater  matter  than  tlie  most  are  aVvare  of.     For  men 


«i  » 


QUICKENED  CHRISTIAN.  323 

usually  think,  that  when  they  hear  the  gospel  in  the  out- 
ward ministry,  and  assent  to  it  that  it  is  true,  that  this  is 
faith,  and  that  then  they  do  believe ;  but  the  true  faith 
of  God's  elect  is  a  greater  matter  than  this ;  for  through 
that  we  are  truly  made  one  with  the  Son  of  the  living 
God,  and  do  abide  and  live  in  him  for  ever.  And  so  this 
right  faith  is  a  most  high  and  precious  grace,  and  is  the 
first  manifestation  of  the  Father's  eternal  love  to  the  soul, 
and  the  first  grace  whereby  we  have  entrance  into  the 
kingdom  of  God :  it  is  the  Sabbath  of  Sabbaths ;  it  is 
the  greatest  and  highest  worship  of  God ;  it  is  infinite  and 
everlasting  righteousness;  it  is  the  mortification  of  the 
flesh,  the  quickening  of  the  Spirit ;  our  mighty  victory 
over  the  law,  sin,  death,  hell,  the  world  and  the  devil ;  it 
is  the  first  and  last,  and  all  in  all,  in  the  kingdom  of  the 
Son :  And  he  that  believes,  as  the  scriptures  have  said, 
is  already  truly  passed  from  sin  to  righteousness,  from 
death  to  life,  and  from  Satan  to  God. 

So  that  right  faith  is  a  most  precious  grace,  and  is 
found  in  very  few  of  the  common  professors  of  the 
worldly  church ;  so  that  Christ  himself  makes  this  ques- 
tion, The  son  of  man^  when  he  comes^  shall  he  find  faith 
upon  earth  ?  And  therefore  it  concerns  all  to  inquire  and 
try,  IVhether  we  partake  of  this  faith  or  no?  And  whether 
the  life  we  live  in  thefiesh^  be  in  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
God?  otherwise  we  must  know,  that  as  he  that  believes 
shall  be  saved^  so  he  that  believes  not  shall  be  damned. 


THE 


STUMBLING-STONE, 

OR  A 

DISCOURSE 

TOUCHING  THAT  OFFENCE  WHICH  THE  WORLD  AND  WORLDLY 
CHURCH  DO  TAKE  AGAINST 


Christ  Himself. 
His  true  Word. 
His  true  Worship. 


His  true  Church. 
His  TRUE  Government. 
His  true  ministry. 


wherein  the  university  is  reproved  by 


WORD  OF  GOD. 

BEtlVEBEB    PARTLY    TO    THE    USIVERSITV-COSGREGATION    IN    CAMBRIDGE,    AND 
PARTLY    TO    ANOTHER    IN    THE  SAME    TOWN. 

TOGETHER    WITH 

A  brief  touch  in  the  Epistle  (for  tlie  present)  on  the  late  quarrelsome,  weak 
and  erroneous  Animadversions  of  one  Mr.  67irt;n6ers,  called  Doctor  in  Divinity, 
and  Pastor  of  Peivsy,  in  Wiltshire. 


BY  WILLIAM  DELL, 


MINISTER    OF   THE    GOSPEL,    AND    MASTER    OF    GONTIl    AND    CAICS    COLLEGE, 
IN    CAMBRIDGE. 


Milii  plane  omnium  jucundissima  facies  ista  in  rebus  est,  videre  ob  verbum  Dei 
studia  8c  dissentiones  fieri ;  is  enim  est  verbi  Dei  cursus,  casus  8c  eventus ;  nam 
dicit,  non  veni  pacem  mittere  sed  gladium.     Luther. 


TO  THE  READER. 

HERE  I  present  thee  with  this  discourse,  which  met 
with  such  notable  opposition  and  contradiction  from  the 
university  of  Cambridge,  to  whom  it  was  dehvered ;  and 
also  from  such  of  the  town  then  present,  who  are  bapti- 
zed into  the  university  spirit ;  and  yet  every  point  of  this 
doctrine  will  appear,  to  spiritual  men,  to  be  the  word  and 
truth  of  God,  and  if  need  shall  require,  I  can  yet  more 
fully  prove  it  to  be  so,  by  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets 
and  apostles,  and  by  the  doctrine  of  Christ  himself,  the 
head  of  both;  and  that  against,  not  only  one,  but  all 
universities,  and  also  against  the  gates  of  hell,  and  powers 
of  darkness.  And  by  this  gross  opposition  against  the 
plain  gospel,  thou  mayest  judge  and  discern  that  this 
university,  which  hath  been  counted  one  of  the  eyes 
of  the  nation,  seeing  sees  not;  and  which  hath 
been  counted  a  fountain  of  knowledge  and  Good  learn- 
ing, hearing  HEARS  NOT,  NEITHER  UNDERSTANDS; 
whereby  we  may  conceive  that  gray  hairs  are  upon  it,  and 
that  the  time  of  its  departure  is  near,  except  it  repent. 
I  had  thought  also  at  this  time  to  have  given  a  farther 
testimony  for  Jesus,  against  the  mystery  of  iniquity  which 
hath  hitherto  prevailed  in  the  ecclesiastical  state,  and  in 
the  universities,  the  head  and  heart  of  it,  but  that  this 
work  under  my  hands,  multiplied  into  too  great  a  pro- 
portion for  an  epistle  ;  and  also  because  I  intend  to  add 
thereunto  my  testimony  against  that  mystery  of  iniquity 
which  hath  hitherto  also  prevailed  in  the  civil  state,  anti- 
christ having,  with  his  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness, 
seduced  and  deluded  both,  ever  since  the  reign  of  Con- 
stantine  ;  and  this  twofold  testimony  (through  grace  given, 
and  hoped  to  be  given)  I  intend  very  shortly  to  pub- 
lish ;  for  I  judge  it  most  necessary  for  the  true  church  to 


328  TO  THE  READER. 

be  acquainted  herewith,  especially  after  so  many  of  the 
seals  have  been  opened  ;  and  also,  seeing  the  time  of  the 
restitution  of  all  things  makes  haste  upon  us,  and  we 
hope  is  even  at  the  doors.  Wherefore  we  continually 
entreat  that  the  arm  of  the  Lord  would  awaken,  and  put 
on  strength  ;  not  only  as  in  ancient  times,  and  in  the  days 
of  old,  but  more  also,  to  wit,  as  his  Spirit,  by  his  pro- 
phets hath  foretold  he  will  do  in  the  last  time,  when  he 
will  reveal  his  arm  for  Christ  and  his  seed,  in  his  greatest 
might  and  glory  :  And  let  the  remembrancers  of  the  Lord 
not  keep  silence,  till  the  cursed  kingdom  of  antichrist, 
with  all  its  religion,  works,  duties,  doctrines,  counterfeit 
law  and  gospel,  false  clergy,  false  church,  false  power 
and  jurisdiction  or  discipline,  false  ordinances,  and  false 
all  things,  be  utterly  overcome  with  the  Spirit  of  Christ's 
mouth,  and  the  brightness  of  his  coming ;  and  till  the 
true  spiritual  church,  that  through  faith,  hope  and  love, 
lives  out  of  this  world,  and  the  elements  thereof,  in  the 
kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son,  be  made  an  eternal  excel- 
lency, and  the  joy  of  generations  ;  and  till  they  who  have 
afflicted  it,  and  domineered  over  it,  be  made  to  come 
humbly  bending  to  it,  and  to  lick  the  dust  of  its  feet,  as 
the  Lord  hath  promised. 

Farther,  I  thought  good  at  this  time  to  advertise  thee 
of  the  animadversions  of  Mr.  Humphrey  Chambers^  called 
Doctor  in  Divinity,  and  Pastor  of  Pewsy,  in  the  County 
of  IFilts^  on  a  discourse  published  by  me,  intitled,  The 
crucified  and  Quickened  Christian.  In  which  Animadver- 
sions (as  he  calls  them  ;  after  Mr.  Christopher  Lovers  ex- 
ample, who  was  one  of  bis  forerunners  in  this  opposition  to 
the  truth)  he  hath,  Doctor-like,  contradicted  the  manifest 
truth,  and  the  very  substance,  marrow  and  mystery  of  the 
gospel,  which  being  made  void  (which  yet  is  impossible 
as  to  the  true  church)  there  would  be  neither  true  righ- 
teousness, nor  life,  nor  redemption,  nor  salvation,  nor 


TO  THE  READER.  529 

the  true  Christ,  nor  the  true  God  in  Christ,  left  remain- 
ing to  believers ;  all  which  I  make  account,  in  due  time, 
to  make  appear  by  the  scriptures ;  (for  I  allow  no,  doc- 
trine that  is  not  according^  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  and 
the  writings  of  his  apostles  and  prophets,  which  are  a 
most  sure  and  infallible  word,  if  they  be  understood  ac- 
cording to  Christ's  mind,  and  not  according  to  man's.) 

Now  when  I  read  those  Animadversions,  I  found  them 
very  captious,  slight,  weak,  and  grossly  erroneous,  and 
somewhat  like  the  Animadversions  of  the  Sorbonists  on 
some  of  Luthefs  writings ;  and  this  hath  not  been  my 
judgment  only,  but  also  it  hath  been  represented  to  me 
from  godly  and  understanding  christians,  that  this  great 
undertaking  of  this  Doctor,  is  judged  such  by  them,  that 
it  deserves  no  more  refutation  ;  his  Animadversions,  com- 
pared only  with  the  discourse  itself,  being  sufficiently  for 
ever  already  confuted  by  it.  And  truly  I  cannot  but 
bless  God,  who  hath  given  his  truth  so  weak  an  enemy, 
and  error  and  darkness  so  wdhk  a  patron. 

But  by  this  the  true  church  may  judge  also,  what  a 
sad  ministry  these  poor  nations  have  received  from  anti- 
christ's ordination,  when  the  chief  doctors,  the  very 
Scribes  and  Pharisees  among  the  clergy,  do  not  know 
the  very  first  principles  of  the  gospel  in  any  spiritual  light, 
or  by  any  teaching  from  God ;  but  all  their  cold,  faint, 
and  uncertain  doctrine,  they  scrape  from  fathers  and 
schoolmen,  and  from  other  ordinary  systems  of  divinity  ; 
without  any  presence  of  faith,  or  anointing  of  the  Spirit: 
whereby  all  their  doctrine  becomes  carnal  and  corrupt, 
and  contrary  to  Christ's  mind,  and  agreeable  to  anti- 
christ's ;  so  that  I  cannot  choose  but  conclude  with  John 
Husy  That  all  the  clergy  must  be  q_uiTE  taken 

AWAY,  ere  the  church  OF  ChRIST  CAN  HAVE  ANY 
TRUE  REFORMATION   (a). 

(a)  Joan.  Hus  libr.  de  vita  &  reg.  antichrist,  cap.  37. 

Tt 


330  TO  THE  READER. 

Another  thing  hath  happened  in  this  matter,  whicli 
makes  me  wonder,  and  that  is  this,  that  those  few  shreds 
of  weakness  and  error,  published  by  Mr.  Chambers  should 
be  so  honourably  licenced  by  so  famous  a  divine,  as  the 
present  Vicechancellor  of  Oxford  (^),  a  man  of  such  ex- 
cellent learning  and  judgment ;  but  truly,  such  doctrine 
deserved  such  a  licence,  that  something  at  least  might 
make  it  considerable ;  whereas  the  true  doctrine  of  Christ, 
the  word  of  faith,  the  word  of  the  kingdom,  hath  a  stand- 
ing licence  from  Jesus  Christ,  and  comes  upon  the  world 
as  the  rain  and  dew,  witliout  asking  leave  of  man,  or  the 
son  of  man  (c).  But  great  places  are  greatly  dangerous 
to  those  whose  faith  is  not  stronger  than  their  form  ;  and 
so  I  leave  this  also  to  the  wisdom  and  judgment  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  into  whose  hands  God  hath  given  all 
things. 

Christian,  acquaint  thyself  much  with^the  word  of  God, 
and  be  much  in  the  prayer  of  faith,  for  some  of  the 
angels  are  preparing  to  sofmd  the  last  trumpets,  and  to 
pour  out  the  last  vials  on  the  very  seat  and  throne  of  the 
beast ;  and  we  hope,  ere  long,  to  hear  that  shout  of  tri- 
umph in  the  spiritual  church,  "  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen, 
is  fallen,"  and  is  now  become  the  habitation  of  devils, 
and  unclean  spirits,  which  before  was  the  habitation  of 
hypocrites  and  false  christians,  yet  covered  over  with  all 
the  most  glorious  shews  of  religion  and  holiness,  that 
the  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness  could  put  upon  them. 
And  now  (if  thou  please)  read  on,  and  let  the  spiritual 
man  Judge f  whojudgeth  all  things. 

WILLIAM  DELL. 

(d)  Mr.  Owen. 

(c)  Prodiit  ex    adipe  iniquitas  eoruiii,  transiefunt  in  affectum 
cordis. 


THE 

STUMBLING-STONE,  ^c. 

Matt.  xi.  6. 

^ncl  blessed  is  he  whosoever  shall  not  be  offended  in  me. 

THESE  words  are  the  conclusion  of  Christ's  an- 
swer to  that  question  which  John  the  Baptist  propound- 
ed to  him  by  two  of  his  disciples,  himself  being  in  pri- 
son ;  the  question  was  this,  Art  thou  he  that  should  coiner 
or  do  we  look  for  another  ? 

Now  it  is  much  disputed,  whether  John  himself  did  at 
this  time  doubt  of  Christ,  or  no :  and  several  men  give  in 
several  opinions,  which  I  shall  not  now  stand  to  recite  ; 
but  almost  all,  both  ancient  and  modern,  do  conclude, 
that  John  propounded  this  question  to  Christ,  not  that  he 
himself  did  now  doubt  whether  Christ  were  the  true 
Messiah  or  no,  seeing  he  had  before  given  so  clear  a  testi- 
mony to  Christ,  that  he  was  the  Lamb  ofGod^  that  takes 
away  tHe  sins  of  the  world ;  and  had  also  baptized  him 
with  water ;  and  had  seen,  at  that  time,  the  heavens  open- 
ing .^  and  the  Spirit  of  God^  as  a  Dove^  descending  and  rest- 
ing on  Christ ;  and  had  heard  the  Father's  own  voice,  say- 
ing. This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  lam  well  pleased : 
Wherefore  they  say,  that  John  himself  could  not  possibly, 
after  all  this,  doubt  of  Christ ;  and  therefore  that  he  did 
not  propound  this  question  to  him  by  his  disciples  for 
his  own  sake,  but  for  theirs ;  that  they,  who  before  had 
envied  Christ  for  their  Master's  sake,  and  would  rather 
have  had  John  to  have  been  the  Messiah  than  him,  might 
now  be  assured,  and  fully  instructed,  touching  Christ, 
from  Christ  himself :  Thus  they. 


532  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

But  for  my  part,  I  do  conceive  that  John  did  propound 
this  question  to  Christ  for  his' own  sake,  rather  than  for 
his  disciples ;  for  though,  when  he  lived  in  peace  and 
freedom,  he  had  a  clear  revelation  from  the  Father,  touch- 
ing the  Son,  by  the  Spirit,  and  had  accordingly  clearly 
spoken  of  Christ  to  others ;  yet  now,  being  in  prison  and 
bonds,  and  near  unto  death,  he  is  brought,  by  great  tri- 
bulation and  temptation,  to  doubt  of  all  that  truth  which 
before  he  had  been  taught  of  God,  and  even  to  question 
whether  Christ  were  the  true  Christ  or  no?  For,  thought 
he,  if  he  be  the  true  Christ,  why  doth  he  not  send  re- 
demption to  me,  who  suffer  for  his  sake,  but  suffer  me 
thus  to  perish,  whilst  he  might  help  me,  if  he  be  the 
Christ?  and  if  he  work  miracles  for  others,  as  I  hear  he 
doth,  why  doth  he  wholly  neglect  me,  who  have  given 
such  an  honourable  testimony  to  the  world  of  him  ? 

And  truly,  brethren,  we  know  not  what  place  or 
power  the  gospel  of  God  our  Saviour  hath  in  us,  till  tri- 
bulation come ;  and  so  much  of  the  true  knowledge  of 
Christ,  and  of  true  faith  in  Christ  we  have  indeed,  as  we 
have  strength  in  such  hours.  That  truth  which  we  con- 
fess freely  in  prosperity,  we  are  fain  to  begin  to  learn  it 
again  in  tribulation ;  and  tribulation  makes  us  Ifearn  the 
truth  over  ae-ain  the  second  time ;  it  makes  us  to  learn 
that  in  experience,  which  before  we  had  learned  only  in 
doctrine. 

And  how  hard  a  matter  it  is  to  hold  fast  in  trouble, 
that  truth  which  we  well  know,  and  freely  profess  in  pros- 
perity. We  may  see,  not  only  in  John  the  Baptist,  (who 
being  in  prison,  doubted  whether  Christ  were  the  true 
Christ,  after  Ije  had  been  so  clearly  taught  him  by  God 
and  his  Spirit,  and  had  so  plainly  confessed  him)  but 
iiso  in  the  disciples  of  Christ,  who,  though  they  had 
heard  all  his  doctrine,  and  seen  all  his  works,  and  had 
confessed  him  to  be  Christy  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  yet, 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  333 

when  the  high-priests  were  enraged,  and  the  people  in 
an  uproar  ;  and  when  they  beheld  the  swords  and  the 
staves,  and  Clirist  was  apprehended,  and  themselves  in 
danger;  they  were  all  o tended  at  him,  and  fled.  Yea, 
we  may  see  it  in  Christ  himself,  who,  though  the  Father 
had  testified  touching  him  three  times  from  heaven,  say- 
ing, This  is  my  beloved  Son^  &c.  Yet  when  his  suffering 
drew  near,  he  exceedingly  feared,  and  was  amazed  and 
astonished,  and  on  the  cross  cried  out  aloud,  My  God, 
my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me? 

My  brethren,  no  man  knows  the  grievousness  and 
efficacy  of  tribulation,  and  the  weakness  and  frailty  of 
human  nature,  but  they  who*  have  had  experience  of 
both  ;  but  this  is  the  comfort  of  the  faithful,  that  that 
knowledge  of  Christ  and  the  gospel  which  God  hath 
taught  us,  and  we  have  heard  and  learned  from  him,  will 
certainly  endure  and  hold  out  throughout  all  the  greatest 
and  longest  storms  of  tribulation  and  temptation,  though 
with  much  striving  and  difficulty ;  but  they  who  have 
had  much  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  have  made  a  glo- 
rious profession  of  it  before  men,  and  yet  have  wanted 
the  true  teaching  of  God,  and  trife  faith  through  that 
teaching,  such,  when  tribulations  and  difficulties  have 
risen  up,  have  quite  departed  from  the  truth,  and  have 
often  renounced  it. 

We  know  not,  brethren,  I  say  again,  what  we  do  be- 
lieve aright,  touching  Christ  and  his  gospel,  touching 
the  love  of  God  to  us,  and  the  remission  of  our  sins,  &c. 
till  distress,  and  tribulation,  and  death  come ;  and  what 
we  are  then,  we  are  that  indeed ;  yea,  at  such  times,  we 
are  to  be  judged  according  to  our  faith,  and  not  according 
to  our  sense  and  feeling. 

Luther  was  wont  to  say,  "  That  in  temptation  he  could 
"  hardly  make  use  at  all  of  that  doctrine  of  the  free  grace 
"  of  God  to  sinners,  and  of  faith  in  Christ  crucified,"  &c. 


334.  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

which  at  other  times  he  did  preach  in  much  knowledge  and 
utterance.  And  he  said  another  time,  "  That  if  he  were 
"  addicted  to  God's  word  at' all  times  alike,  and  could  find 
"  such  love  and  desire  thereto  in  his  heart  alvyays,  as  he 
"  did  sometimes,  he  should  reckon  himself  the  happiest 
"  man  in  the  world." 

Now  from  all  these  things  I  conclude,  that  John,  being 
in  prison,  and  being  fallen  into  many  tribulations  and 
temptations,  did  send  these  two  disciples  unto  Christ  for 
his  own  cause,  and  for  his  own  confirmation,  as  it  is  said 
ver,  2  and  3. 

Ver.  2.  When  John  had  heard  in  prison  the  works  of 
Christ,  he  sent  two  of  his  disciples, 

Ver.  5.  And  said  unto  him,  Art  thou  he  that  should 
come,  or  do  we  look  for  another  ? 

Whence  we  are  farther  to  observe, 

That  John,  in  his  doubting,  sends  to  Christ  himself,  and 
would  not  turn  aside  to  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  to  take 
advice  from  them,  or  to  demand  their  judgment. 

For  true  faith,  in  all  doublings  touching  Christ,  goes 
to  Christ  himself  for  resolution,  and  will  be  satisfied  from 
none  but  Christ. 

And  Christ  is  as  ready  to  satisfy  John,  as  John  to  in- 
quire and  ask ;  and  so  he  returns  him  this  answer  by  his 
disciples. 

Ver.  4.  Go,  and  shew  John  again  those  things  you  see 
and  hear* 

Ver.  5.  The  blind  receive  their  sight,  and  the  lame 
walk  ;  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear  ;  the  dead 
are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the  gospel  preached  to 
them  ;  and  now  let  John  himself  resolve  his  own  question, 
Whether  I  am  the  true  Christ  or  no. 

Go,  shew  John  the  things  you  see  and  hear. 

Where  you  see,  that  Christ  doth  not  say  in  plain  terms 
that  he  was  the  Christ ;  yea,  he  often  forbad  men  to  say 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  335 

so ;  but  he  would  have  his  works  and  his  word  declare 
what  he  was,  that  our  faith  might  have  a  sure  foundation. 

1.  Christ  would  be  known  by  his  works. 

The  blind  receive  their  sight,  the  lame  walk,  &c.  and 
so  every  where  in  the  gospel,  Christ  would  be  known  to 
be  what  he  was  by  his  works ;  particularly  in  John  x.  24. 
when  the  Jews  came  round  about  him,  and  said.  How 
long  dost  thou  make  us  doubt  ?  if  thou  be  the  Christ,  tell 
us  plainly. 

Jesus  thus  answered  them,  ver.  25.  I  told  you,  and  ye 
believed  not ;  the  works  that  I  do  in  my  Father'^s  name, 
they  bear  witness  of  me. 

And  z;<?r.  37,  38.  he  saith  to  them,  i/'/cfo  not  the 
works  of  my  Father,  believe  me  not ;  but  if  I  do,  though 
ye  believe  not  me,  believe  the  works,  that  ye  may  know 
and  believe  that  the  Father  is  in  me,  and  I  ifi  him. 

Thus  you  see,  that  Christ  will  be  known  to  be  what 
he  is  by  his  works. 

For  Christ,  the  power,  wisdom  and  righteousness  of 
God,  is  a  most  lively  and  active  principle,  and  cannot  lie 
hid  where  he  is  present  and  dwells ;  but  when  this  word 
was  made  flesh,  that  is,  came  into  the  flesh,  it  did  ma- 
nifest itself  to  be  in  that  flesh,  by  doing  the  works  of 
God ;  and  without  the  works  of  God,  the  presence  of  the 
eternal  Word  in  the  flesh  of  Christ  had  not  been  known. 
Wherefore  Christ  is  called  God  manifested  in  the  flesh, 
and  not  hidden ;  and  he  was  manifest  to  be  God  in  the 
flesh,  by  doing  the  works  of  God. 

And  as  Christ  is  known  by  his  works,  in  himself  the 
head,  so  also  in  the  church  his  body  ;  for  wherever 
Christ's  presence  is,  there  also  are  his  works ;  and  where 
his  works  are  not,  there  neither  is  his  presence. 

If  Christ  be  present  in  our  hearts  by  faith,  his  works 
will  be  undoubtedly  manifest  in  our  lives. 


336  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

Now  if  any  shall  say,  But  it  is  not  necessary  for  every 
christian  to  do  the  works  of  Christ  here  mentioned,  to 
wit,  to  cause  the  blind  to  see,  and  the  lame  to  walk,  &c, 

I  answer,  yet  however,  there  are  otiier  works  of  Christ 
besides  these,  which  are  inseparable  from  his  presence,  as 
the  work  of  faith,  and  labour  of  love,  and  patience  of 
hope,  together  with  the  self-denial  of  Christ ;  the  meek- 
ness, lowliness,  goodness,  long-suffering,  heavenly-mind- 
edness  of  Christ ;  as  also  his  readiness  and  diligence  to  do 
the  will  of  God,  and  his  cheerfulness  to  suffer  it ;  these 
works,  I  say,  every  one  ought  to  perform  that  is  a  chris- 
tian, that  so  Christ  may  still  be  known  by  his  works  ;  as 
the  apostle  saith,  Shexv  me  thy  faith  by  thy  works :  that  is, 
let  me  know  the  presence  of  Christ  in  thee,  by  the  works 
of  Christ. 

And  thus  is  Christ  known  by  his  works,  both  in  him- 
self and  in  his  members.  And  thus  much  touching  the 
works  of  Christ  in  general. 

Now,  for  the  kind  of  the  works  which  Christ  did,  as, 
to  give  eyes  to  the  blind,  and  strength  to  the  lame,  &:c. 
It  is  to  be  noted,  that  they  all  are  such  works  as  the 
prophets  had  foretold  the  Messiah  should  perform  when 
he  came  into  the  world,  as  Isa.  xxxv.  5.  Behold,  God  will 
come  and  save  you  :  Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  be 
opened,  and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall  be  unstopped:  Then 
shall  the  lame  man  leap  as  an  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the 
dumb  sing :  And  he  that  did  these  things,  thus  foretold 
by  the  Spirit,  must  needs  be  the  true  Christ ;  and  these 
works  were  a  demonstration  of  the  efficacy  of  his  unction. 

And  thus  Christ  doth  here  describe  himself  by  his  own 
proper  works,  as  one  whose  business,  employment  and 
kingdom,  lies  with  the  poor,  lame,  blind,  and  all  sorts 
of  diseased,  afflicted,  sorrowful  and  distressed  persons ; 
and  these  poor  creatures  he  doth  not  neglect  and  despise  ; 
but  his  proper  office  is  among  these,  and  these  he  com- 


THE  STUMBLING-STOXE.  357 

prebends  m  the  greatest  love,  and  pities  with  the  tenderest 
bowels,  and  minds  and  tends  with  the  greatest  care  and 
diligence,  and  relieves,  and  helps,  and  saves  them  per- 
fectly. 

Whence  first  we  learn,  that  Christ's  kingdom  brings 
good  to  ail,  but  it  receives  nothing  from  any  body  ;  for 
it  carries  in   it  all  the  unsearchable  riches  of  God,  and 
stands  in  need  of  nothing  that  man  can  do.     Wherefore 
it  entertains  not  the  rich,   and  fiill,  and  noble,  and  hon- 
curable  of  the  world,  and  such  as  abound  already,  and 
have  enough  in  themselves  and  the  creatures  ;  but  only 
the  poor,  and  needy,  and  afflicted,  and  desolate ;  and  it 
supplies  these  freely  and  richly,  and  sends  the  other  empty 
away.     And  this  is  the  true  nature  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
Secondly,  Seeing  Christ,  in  his  proper  office,  hath  only 
to  do  with  the  poor  and  afflicted  people,  we  may  learn  to 
make  a  right  judgment  of  Christ,  that  is,  that  our  Lord 
Christ  is  such  a  sweet  Saviour,  that   in  him  is  nothing 
but  love,  and  mercy,  and  goodness,  and  compassion,  and 
kindness  to  such  as  are  in  distress,  and  in  grievous  fears 
and  agonies  from  the  sense   of  sin  and  wrath,  and  from 
the  presence  of  death  and  hell  working  in  them.     And 
we  must  believe  Christ  to  be  such  an  one  as  the  gospel 
represents  him,  that  we  may  come  to  him  with  comfort, 
and  put  our  whole  trust  in  hirh,  in  all  times  of  sin  and 
sorrow,  and  in  all  hours  of  darkness  and  temptation  ;  and 
let  us  never  entertain  any  other  thoughts  of  Christ  than 
these,  but  let  us  hold  him  unchangeably  for  such  an  one 
as  the  gospel  reveals  him,   whatever  the  law,  or  our  evil 
consciences,  or  the  devil  shall  suggest  to  the  contrary  ; 
and  then,  in  all  our  distresses,   we  shall  not  be  afraid  of 
Christ,  as  of  a  severe  lawgiver,  and  an  inexorable  judge ; 
but  may  run  to  him  as  to  our  merciful  and  powerful  Sa- 
viour, whose  proper  office  is  among  the  afflicted. 

Uu 


358  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

And  thus  we  see  that  Christ  is  known  by  his  works, 
and  what  kind  of  works  they  are. 

Secondly,  Christ  would  be  known  by  his  word. 

And  as  Christ  is  known  by  his  works,  so  also  by  his 
word  ;  and  therefore  he  saith,  Go,  and  shew  John,  the 
things  you  see  and  hear  ;  and  the  things  you  hear,  as  well 
as  the  things  you  sec,  and  that  is,  that  the  poor  have  the 
gospel  preached  to  them. 

For  Christ's  works  and  Christ's  word  do  always  go 
together.  Christ's  life  is  always  accompanied  with  Christ's 
doctrine,  and  his  works  with  his  word. 

The  best  works  that  any  man  can  do,  without  the 
word  of  the  gospel  accompanying  them,  are  not  Christ's 
works ;  and  the  most  glorious  word  that  any  man  can 
hold  forth,  without  the  works  of  Christ  accompanying  it, 
is  not  Christ's  word ;  but  Christ's  works  and  Christ's  word 
go  always  together,  both  in  himself  the  head,  and  in  the 
true  church  his  body.  Wherefore  Christ  saith,  Go,  shew, 
to  John  the  things  you  see  and  hear :  the  things  you  see  ; 
the  bhnd  receive  their  sight,  &c.  the  things  you  hear ;  and 
the  poor  have  the  gospel  preached  to  them. 

Now  the  gospel  is  the  free  promise  of  God,  in  which 
nothing  but  mere  love,  mercy  and  grace  is  offered  in 
Jesus  Christ  to  them  that  believe,  though  they  be  never 
so  great  and  grievous  sinners  in  themselves.  And  nothing 
is  more  joyful  than  this  to  the  soul  that  is  under  the  sense 
of  sin  and  wrath ;  and  he  that  receives  this  word  of  grace 
by  true  faith,  doth  not  weigh  a  feather  all  the  terrors  of 
law,  sin,  death  and  hell.  So  that  all  the  outward  works 
of  Christ  are  a  small  matter,  if  compared  with  the  gospel. 
Now  this  gospel  is  preached  to  the  poor,  that  is, 
to  the  poor  in  spirit ;  and  these  are  such,  who  do  not 
love,  nor  desire,  nor  delight  in  present  things,  but  are 
so  afflicted  and  oppressed  in  their  hearts  and  consciences, 
with  the  sense  of  sin  and  wrath,  that  they  regard  not  the 


THE  STUMBUNG-STONE.  53Q 

world,  nor  the  riches,  pleasures  and  honours  of  it ;  but 
ail  they  mind  or  care  for,  is  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  him  the 
love  of  God,  and  the  remission  of  sin,  and  the  gift  of  the 
Spirit.  These  are  the  poor  to  whom  Christ  preaches  the 
gospel,  and  they  only  regard  and  entertain  the  gospel ; 
whilst  the  lovers  of  this  world,  and  the  lovers  of  them- 
selves and  this  present  life,  care  not  for  it. 

And  thus  is  Christ  known,  by  preaching  the  gospel  to 
the  poor.  Moseses  ministry  was  full  of  wrath,  terror, 
and  death  to  sinners  ;  but  Christ's  ministry  holds  forth 
nothing  to  the  greatest  sinners  in  the  world,  that  are  sen- 
sible of  sin,  but  the  free  grace  and  mercy  of  God  to  them, 
even  to  them,  in  pardoning  their  sin,  and  giving  them 
righteousness ;  and  by  this  word,  Christ  is  well  known 
to  the  whole  true  church  of  God. 

And  as  Christ  is  known  by  his  word  in  himself  the 
head,  so  also  in  the  church  his  body  ;  for  wherever  Christ 
is  present,  there  is  his  word  as  well  as  his  works;  and 
where  Christ's  true  word  is  not,  neither  is  his  presence 
there.  Wherefore  all  the  faithful,  as  they  have  received  the 
gospel  themselves,  so  they  hold  forth  the  same  gospel  to 
others  upon  all  opportunities ;  according  to  the  covenant 
which  God  made  with  Christ,  touching  his  seed,  which  is 
mentioned,  Isa.  lix.  21.  As  for  mCy  this  is  my  covenant 
with  them,  saith  the  Lord ;  my  Spirit  that  is  upon  thee, 
and  my  words  which  I  fiave  put  in  thy  mouth,  (that  is  the 
gospel)  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouthy  nor  out  of  the 
mouth  of  thy  seed,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seeds,  seed, 
saith  the  Lord,  from  henceforth  and  for  ever.  By  which 
scripture  we  may  learn,  that  the  mmistry  of  the  New 
Testament  is  a  common  ministry,  belonging  equally  and 
alike  to  all  the  seed  of  Christ,  that  is,  to  all  true  believers  ; 
for  when  Clirist  dwells  in  their  hearts  by  faithj  who  shall 
hinder  Christ  in  them,  from  speaking  the  word  of  God  by 
them? 


340  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

Fpr  God  doth  not  consider  men  as  the  World  doth,  to 
wit,  a.s  they  are  tradesmen,  or  gentlemen,  or  scholars,  or 
clergymen,  but  he  considers  men  as  believers,  or  unbe- 
lievers. And  if  they  be  unbelievers,  then  are  they  des- 
titute of  the  true  presence  of  Christ,  and  of  the  true 
word  of  Christ,  whatever  their  outvyard  condition  be  in 
the  world;  yea,  though  they  are  scholars  and  clergymen; 
and  if  they  are  believers,  then  have  they  Christ's  true 
presence  and  word  with  them,  whatever  their  outward 
condition  is  in  the  world,  yea,  though  they  are  gentlemen 
or  tradesmen ;  and  every  one  of  them  saith  with  David^ 
and  with  Paul^  I  believed,  therefore  have  I  spoken. 

So  that  we  are  not  to  conceive  of  the  spiritual  church, 
according  to  any  outward  state  or  condition  in  the  world, 
but  according  to  faith,  through  which  Christ  dwells  in 
the  hearts  of  believers ;  and  if  Christ,  the  living  word  of 
God,  dwell  in  them,  he  will  not  keep  silence. 

And  this  confession  of  the  word  before  the  world, 
Christ  requires  of  all  believers  alike,  saying,  He  that  con- 
fesseth  me  before  men,  him  will  I  confess  before  my  Father^ 
and  before  his  angels  ;  and  there  is  no  true  and  right  con- 
fessing Christ,  without  holding  forth  the  word  and  doc- 
trine of  the  gospel. 

So  then,  every  one  that  is  of  God,  speaks  God's  word ; 
and  he  that  speaks  it  not,  is  not  of  God ;  for  in  all  the 
true  children  of  God,  the  Spirit  of  their  Father  speaks 
in  them.  And  thus  the  true  presence  of  Christ  is  known, 
by  the  word  of  the  gospel  in  the  church  his  body,  and  in 
every  one  of  his  members,  as  well  as  in  himself  the  head. 
This  doctrine,  the  carnal  church  is  a  great  enemy  to,  and 
will  not  suffer  Christ  to  speak  by  whom  he  pleaseth,  that 
so  all  men  may  be  necessitated  to  hear  its  clergy,  whether 
they  speak  the  word  of  Christ  or  no :  But  of  this,  more 
hereafter. 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  341 

And  thus  you  have  seen,  how  Christ  gives  forth  him- 
self to  be  known  by  his  works,  and  by  his  word ;  and 
without  these  two,  we  can  have  no  certain  testimony  of 
him  in  the  world. 

Now  Christ,  having  returned  this  full  and  satisfactory 
answer  to  John^  lo  declare  to  him  who  he  was,  adds  this 
in  the  conclusion. 

And  blessed  is  he ^  whosoever  shall  not  he  offended  in  me. 

For  notwithstanding  the  works  and  word  of  Christ, 
which  are  the  works  and  word  of  God  in  the  flesh,  yet 
the  wisdom  and  prudence  of  the  flesh,  and  the  religion 
and  righteousness  of  the  'world,  which  do  not  much  regard 
those  things,  do  find  much  matter  of  scandal  and  oifence 
in  Jesus  Christ ;  wherefore  Christ  saith,  Blessed  is  he  who- 
soever shall  not  be  offmded  in  me. 

Now  in  discoursing,  touching  the  offence  which  is 
taken  against  Christ  by  men,  I  shall  observe  this  order ; 
I  shall  shew, 

1.  Who  they  are  that  are  oflTended  at  Christ. 

2.  What  those  things  are  whereat  they  are  offended, 
and  why  they  are  offended  at  them. 

3.  What  a  great  evil  it  is  to  be  so  offended. 

4.  What  a  great  blessedness  it  is  not  to  be  so  offended  ; 
and,    . 

5.  Make  some  use  of  all. 

1.  Point. 
Who  they  are  that  are  offended  at  Christ. 
And  here  I  affirm,  first,  that  the  whole  world  in  gene- 
ral is  offended  at  Christ;  for  they,  living  without  the 
word  and  Spirit  of  faith,  must  needs  be  offended  at  Christ, 
by  all  those  scandals  which  are  raised  up  against  Christ 
by  the  devil  and  men ;  and  they  all,  having  a  false  appre- 
hension of  Christ,  do  suck  in  as  readily  as  a  spring  doth 
water,  whatever,  aspersions  and  reproaches  are  raised 
against  him,  and  so  must  needs  be  offended  at  him  ;  and 
therefore  saith  Christ,  Matt,  xviii.  7.  fVo  be  to  the  world 


342  THE  STU3IBLING.ST0NE. 

because  of  offences  ;  for  offences  must  needs  come,  and 
the  world  will  needs  receive  them,  and  therefore,  fFoe  be 
to  the  world. 

So  that  the  whole  world,  that  is,  whosoever  are  not 
true  believers,  and  born  of  God,  are  all  offended  at  Christ 
and  his  gospel ;  and  all  the  children  of  the  first  Jdam  are 
offended  at  the  second  Adam^  who  is  wholly  unlike  to 
them,  yea,  and  in  all  things  most  contrary  to  them. 

2.  Yea  secondly.  Not  only  the  common  people  of  the 
world,  vulgar  and  contemptible  men,  are  offended  at 
Christ,  but  also  all  the  chief  and  choice  men  of  the  world, 
kings  of  the  earth,  and  rulers,  and  judges,  and  magistrates, 
as  in  Psalm  ii.  and  all  the  best,  and  learnedest,  and 
wisest,  and  greatest,  and  most  honourable  men,  these  all 
are  offended  at  Christ.  1  Cor,  ii.  8.  Which  none  of  the 
princes  of  this  "world  knew  ;  he  means  it  of  philosophers 
as  well  as  of  secular  powers ;  and  not  knowing  him,  they 
crucified  him. 

2.  Not  the  world  only  are  offended  at  Christ,  but  also 
the  worldly  and  carnal  church,  the  outward,  visible,  na- 
tional church,  this  is  very  much  offended  at  him.  This 
we  see  in  Christ's  time,  that  the  only  visible  church  of 
God  in  the  world,  the  church  of  the  Jews,  (for  the  church 
of  the  Old  Testament  was  a  visible  church,  hut  the 
church  of  the  New  Testament  is  a  spiritual  church,  and 
not  visible)  I  say,  the  Jewish  church,  which  had  the  law 
of  Moses i  the  prophets,  and  the  Psalms y  and  observed  all 
the  outward  ordinances  of  God  exacdy,  they  were  all 
offended  at  Christ,  and  made  an  order,  that  whosoever 
acknowledged  him,  should  be  excommunicated,  and  cast 
out  of  the  Synagogue. 

And  this  offence  was  foretold  by  Isaiah^  viii.  14.  where 
he  saith  of  Christ,  And  he  shall  be  for  a  stone  of  stumblings 
and  for  a  rock  of  offence,  to  both  houses  of  Israel;  for  agin  ^ 
and  for  a  snare  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem.     So  that 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.      '  343 

not  Babylon  only,  but  Jerusalam  ;  and  not  the  Heathen 
only,  but  both  the  houses  of  Israel,  were  offended  at 
Christ ;  and  this  makes  the  evil  yet  more  grievous. 

And  yet  this  is  not  all ;  but  secondly,  and  not  only 
the  carnal  christians,  but  the  carnal  clergy  are  offended 
at  Christ ;  and  not  only  the  common  people  of  the  nation- 
al church,  but  the  chief  rulers,  the  most  eminent,  and 
in  appearance,  most  godly  and  holy,  and  orthodox  of  the 
clergy,  are  above  all  others  most  grievously  offended  at 
Christ.  This  also  we  see  done  in  Christ's  time,  when 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  rulers  of  the  people,  men 
of  great  reputation  and  renown  for  religion  and  righte- 
ousness, these  were  chiefly,  and  above  the  rest  of  the 
xihurch,  offended  at  Christ ;  and  as  Christ  every  where 
was  most  sharp  against  them,  and  did  most  reprove  them, 
so  they  did  most  bitterly  oppose  Christ.  And  this  also 
was  foretold  by  the  Spirit  of  prophesy,  Psalm  cxviii.  22. 
The  stone  which  the  builders  refused,  is  become  the  head  of 
the  corner :  this  rejected  stone,  is  Christ  himself;  and 
these  builders,  were  the  chief  rulers  and  governors  of  the 
church  i  and  accordingly,  both  Christ  and  the  apostles 
applied  this  scripture  to  them,  as  you  may  see  Matt,  xxi, 
42.  and  Acts  iv.  11. 

So  that  the  builders  that  teach,  and  instruct,  and 
govern  the  church,  and  are  reputed  the  best,  and  most 
profitable  and  necessary  men  in  it,  yea,  the  very  pillars  of 
the  church,  so  that  all  would  come  to  nought  and  to  ruin 
without  them,  these  are  the  men  that  are  most  offended 
at  Christ. 

These  are  the  husbandmen  mentioned  by  Christ,  Matt, 
xxi.  that  conspired  against  the  Son  of  the  Lord  of  the 
vineyard,  and  killed  him ;  and  these  have  been,  and  still 
are  fdj,  the  chief  and  great  outward  antichrist  in  the 
world. 

(rf)  NuUus  est  alius  antichristus  in  mundo,  neque  venturus  quam 
Sacerdotes.     Jo,  Hus. 


344         '       THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

Now  when  the  people  see  the  rulers  and  governors  of 
the  church,  who  are  thought  to  have  more  knowledge, 
learning,  light  and  religion  than  others,  offended  at 
Christ,  this  exceedingly  increases  their  offence  ;  and  when 
they  see  the  builders  rejecting,  and  throwing  away  this 
stone,  this  causes  them  to  reject  him  also  with  the  greater 
indignation. 

And  thus  you  see  that  this  offence  at  Christ,  is  a  great 
and  a  large  evil,  and  is  spread  over  all  the  world  and 
worldly  church,  and  very  few  there  are  who  do  escape  it. 

And  this  for  the  first  thing. 

2.  Point. 

At  what  things  in  Christ  they  are  offended,  and  why 
they  are  offended  at  them. 

Now  the  world  and  the  worldly  church  are  offended, 

1.  At  Christ  Himself. 

2.  At  his  true  Word. 

3.  At  his  true  Worship. 

4.  At  his  true  Church. 

5.  At  his  true  Ministry. 

6.  At  his  true  Government. 

Of  these  things  I  shall  speak  in  order,  according  to 
the  good  hand  of  God  with  me ;  and  shall  desire  to  be 
so  faithful  to  Christ,  as  not  to  depart  one  hair's  breadth 
from  his  truth,  though  it  may  be,  it  will  come  to  pass 
that  all,  or  the  greatest  part  of  you,  will  be  grievously  of- 
fended at  it. 

I  begin  with  the  first,  and  will  shew,  that  the  world 
and  worldly  church  are  offended, 
1.  At  Christ  Himself. 

And  they  are  offended  at  him  in  many  respects,  of 
which  I  shall  mention  these  five. 

I.  They  are  offended  at  the  meanness  of  his  outward 
condition  in  the  world.  For  indeed  he  was  in  a  very  low 
plain,  simple,  and  contemptible  condition,  in  the  days 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  345 

of  his  flesh,  as  any  ordinary  tradesman  in  this  town,  and 
lived  with  Joseph^  in  his  trade  of  a  carpenter.  Wherefore 
Paul  saith  of  him,  Phil.  ii.  7.  that  he  made  himself  of  no 
reputation^  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant^  and 
was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men :  that  is,  he  was  in  the 
outward  condition  of  any  ordinary  man  in  the  world. 

Now  this  mean  condition  of  Christ  did  much  offend 
them  ;  for,  thought  they,  is  this  the  Christ,  of  whom  all 
the  prophets  have  spoke  such  glorious  things  ?  whom  all 
the  Jews  expect  ?  and  who  is  the  desire  of  all  nations  ? 
Is  this  he  whose  name  is  fVonderful^  Counsellor ^  the  migh- 
ty Gody  the  everlasting  Fat  her  ^  the  Prince  of  Peace  ;  of 
the  increase  of  whose  government  and  peace  there  should 
be  no  end,  upon  the  throne  ofDavid,  and  upon  his  kijigdom, 
to  order  it,  and  to  establish  it  with  justice  and  judgment^ 
from  henceforth  and  for  ever  ?  Is  this  plain  ordinary  man 
the  Messiah '?  How  can  this  thing  be  ?  For  they  thought 
that  the  true  Christ,  of  whom  such  excellent  things  were 
spoken,  should  be  some  great  prince,  or  learned  priest ; 
and  that  that  form  of  a  servant,  and  mean  condition  in 
which  he  was,  could  in  no  measure  agree,  or  be  suitable 
to  the  true  Christ ;  and  for  this  cause,  they  were  greatly 
offended  at  him,  and  thought  him  not  worthy  to  be  in  any 
place  of  reckoning. 

2.  They  were  offended,  that  he,  being  in  so  mean  an 
outward  condition,  John  Baptist  should  yet  speak  such 
high  things  of  him,  and  he  of  himself,  John  Baptist  testi- 
fied of  him,  that  he  was  the  only  begotten  Son,  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father  ;  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  takes  away  the  sins 
of  the  world;  the  fountain  of  the  fulness  of  all  the  saints  ; 
the  beloved  Son,  into  whose  hands  the  Father  had  given 
all  things ;  and  that  he  that  did  believe  in  him,  had  ever- 
lasting life ;  and  he  that  did  not,  should  not  see  life,  but  the 
wrath  of  God  should  abide  on  him,  &c.  and  these  all  were 
wonderful  things,   to  be  spoken  of  one  whose  outward 

condition  in  the  world  was  so  plain  and  contemptible. 

Xx 


546  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

And  as  John  had  spoken  these  things  of  Christ,  so 
Christ  every  vvhtre  give  rs  forth  himself  as  the  Son  of  God, 
and  said,  He  and  his  Father  were  one.  And  this  exceed- 
inj^ly  offended  the  Jews,  as  you  may  sc^John  v.  18.  The 
Jews  sought  to  kill  him ^  ?iot  only  bt cause  he  had  broken  the 
Sabbath,  but  also  because  he  had  said,  God  was  his  Fat  her  ^ 
making  himself  equal  with  God.  And /o/;;2  x.  31.  The  Jews 
took  up  stones  to  stone  him,  and  said,  JVe  stone  thee  not  for 
a  good  Tvork^  but  for  blasphemy,  and  because  thou,  being  a 
man,  makest  thyself  God.  And  so  they  were  all  offended 
at  this  mystery,  God  7nanifest  in  the  Jiesh,  in  the  flesh  of 
so  mean  and  despicable  a  person  in  the  eye  of  the  world. 

3.  They  were  offended  at  Christ,  because  in  him  was 
no  human  or  worldly  thing,  which  any  natural  or  carnal 
man  could  possibly  like  of,  or  delight  in ;  he  exercised 
no  worldly  wit,  wisdom,  reason,  learning-,  parts,  nor 
any  thing  that  might  commend  him  to  the  world  ;  neither 
did  he  live  in  any  outward  forms  of  religion  or  worship, 
which  might  commend  him  to  the  carnal  church.  There 
was  nothing  in  him  but  the  presence  and  manifestation 
of  God,  the  word  of  God,  the  righteousness  of  God,  the 
nature  of  God,,  the  Spirit  of  God,  the  works  of  God, 
and  God  was  all  in  all  in  Christ ;  and  God  is  wholly 
contrary  to  the  world,  and  the  world  to  God ;  and  so  the 
world  and  wcrldly  cliurch  were  wholly  offended  at  Christ, 
he  being  altogether  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  him, 
in  such  sort,  that  the  Father  in  him  spake  all  the  words, 
and  did  all  the  works,  and  he  could  neither  do  nor  speak 
any  thing  of  himself;  he  was  taken  up  unto  so  near  union 
and  con) m union  with  God. 

4.  They  were  offended  at  the  reproaches  and  misre- 
ports  that  went  commonly  abroad  touching  Christ,  raised, 
for  the  most  part,  by  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  rulers 
of  the  church,  because  they  kn^v,  and  were  assured, 
that  Christ's  prevailing  would  be  their  undoing ;  therefore 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  347 

they  gave  out  that  he  was  a  sabbath- breaker,  a  blasphe- 
mer, an  unlearned  and  ignorant  man,  and  that  made  him 
err ;  a  vicious  man,  a  glutton  and  winebibber,  a  friend  of 
publicans  and  sinners  ;  and  that  he  had  a  devil,  and  was 
mad  ;  these  were  the  common*  reports  that  were  com- 
monly divulged  abroad  touching  Christ,  and  that  by  the 
teachers  of  the  best  repute  in  the  church ;  and  the  com- 
mon people  reckoned  them  to  be  very  true,  and  there- 
upon were  horribly  offended,  both  at  Christ's  doctrine  and 
works. 

And  thus  was  Christ  a  vety  sign  to  be  spoken  against, 
which  Isaiah  foreseeing  in  the  Spirit,  speaks  thus  in  the 
person  of  the  offended  Jewish  church,  Isa.  Ixiii.  3.  He  is 
despised  and  rejected  of  mefi,  a  man  of  sorrows  and  ac- 
quainted with  grief;  and  we  hid  as  it  were  our  faces  from 
him;  he  was  despised,  andive  esteemed  him  not.  And  Christ 
himself,  by  the  prophet,  complains  of  this  usage,  saying, 
They  laid  to  my  charge  the  things  that  I  knew  not;  but  yet 
these  false  reports  so  far  prevailed,  that  he  became  a  stran- 
ger to  his  brethren^  and  an  alien  to  his  mother'' s  own  children^ 

5.  They  were  offended  at  him  because  of  his  bitter  and 
shameful  cross  and  sufferings  ;  and  herein  lay  the  height 
and  depth  of  that  offence,  for  which  the  world  and 
worldly  church  look  at  Christ.  For  the  ecclesiastical 
power  condemned  him  as  a  deceiver  and  blasphemer,  and 
they  also  prevailed  with  the  secular  power  to  condemn 
him  as  a  seditious  person,  an  enemy  to  C^sar,  and  a 
relDel ;  and  so,  after  all  the  works  of  God  which  he  had 
done,  and  works  of  God  which  he  had  taught,  they  at 
last  crucified  him  between  two  thieves,  by  the  common 
consent  of  all  the  people,  and  destroyed  the  Son  of  God, 
as  if  he  had  been  the  son  of  perdition :  And  in  all  this 
bitter  suffering,  no  body  afforded  him  the  least  pity  or 
compassion,  but  the  common  people  mocked  him,  and 


S48  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

said,  he  saved  others,  but  cannot  save  himself;  if  thou  be 
the  Son  of  God,  come  down  from  the  cross. 

And  this  usage  Christ  complains  of  to  his  Father  Psalm 
xxii.  6.  where  he  saith,  that  he,  by  his  cries,' had  no  deli- 
verance, which  yet  others,  who  had  trusted  in  God,  ob- 
tained; but,  saith  he,  I  am  a  ivorm,  a?id  no  man  ;  a  re- 
proach of  men,  and  despised  of  the  people  ;  all  they  that 
see  me  laugh  me  to  scorn  ;  they  shoot  out  the  lip,  they  shake 
the  head,  saying,  He  trusted  i?i  God  that  he  would  deliver 
him,  let  him  deliver  him  if  he  delight  in  him.  And  Isaiah 
saith,  that  by  reason  of  this  strange  suffering  of  Christ 
many  were  ast07iished  at  hitn  ;  his  visage  xvas  marred  more 
than  any  mans  and  his  face  more  than  the  sons  of  men  ; 
and  through  this  suffering  of  Christ,  all  the  world  were  so 
extremely  offended,  that  Christ  crucified,  was  to  the  Jews 
a  stumbling-block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness. 

And  thus  was,  and  is,  the  world  and  worldly  church 
offended  at  the  true  Christ,  whom  the  scriptures  hold 
forth.  '  Indeed,  the  false  church  have  fancied  to  them- 
selves such  a  Christ  as  flesh  and  blood  can  like  of  well 
enough ;  a  Christ  fashioned  after  the  mind,  and  will,  and 
wisdom,  and  prudence  and  righteousness  of  man;  and 
such  a  Christ  they  extol  and  magnify,  to  wit,  for  their 
own  worldly  advantage  sake :  as  the  Papists  have  fancied 
the  poor  virgin  his  mother,  who  kept  Joseph's  house,  and 
provided  his  diet,  and  laid  her  hands  to  the  performance 
of  his  ordinary  household  affairs,  to  be  a  gallant  lady,  and 
have  clothed  her  in  silk  and  sattin,  and  rich  attire ;  and 
such  a  mother  of  Christ  they  do  highly  esteem  ;  whereas 
the  poor  virgin,  the  true  believer,  who  lived  in  the  plain 
and  laborious  employment  of  a  family,  they  would  even 
scorn  to  regard  such  an  one :  No  more  will  the  carnal 
church  regard  or  value  the  true  Christ,  in  his  mean  con- 
dition and  marred  visage. 

And  thus  much  for  their  offence  at  Christ  himself. 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  349 

2.  The  world  and  worldly  church  are  offended  at 
Christ's  true  word ; 

Because  Christ,  under  the  New  Testament,  hath  given 
forth  a  new  word,  which  is  the  word  of  the  gospel ;  and 
this  also  they  are  offended  at  in  many  respects ;  as, 

1.  Because  it  is  the  word  of  faith ;  the  word  of  faith, 
and  not  of  sense ;  the  word  of  faith,  and  not  of  works. 
For  this  word  of  faith  is  wholly  a  spiritual  word,  and 
hath  nothing  in  it  that  is  suitable  to  flesh  and  blood ; 
nothing  in  it  that  pleaseth  the  fancy,  or  reason,  or  under- 
standing of  man  ;  it  hath  nothing  in  it  wherein  a  natural 
or  carnal  heart  can  take  pleasure,  but  is  throughout  a 
word  of  faith. 

2.  They  are  offended  at  the  new  word  of  the  new  Tes- 
tament, because  it  exalts  Christ  alone,  and  in  him  the 
power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  the  righte- 
ousness of  God,  and  the  things  of  God ;  and  cries  down 
all  the  things  of  the  world,  in  which  men  trust  and  delight, 
and  all  the  common  religion  and  righteousness  of  the 
world,  and  makes  Christ  all  in  all,  and  God  in  Christ, 
and  all  other  things  nothing.  So  Pauly  1  Cor.  i.  preached 
to  them  that  did  believe,  Christ  the  power  of  God,  and 
Christ  the  wisdom  of  Gody  and  nothing  else. 

3.  They  are  offended  at  this  word,  because  it  cannot 
be  learned  as  human  arts  and  sciences  can,  to  wit,  by 
the  teaching  of  man,  together  with  their  own  pains  and 
endeavours,  but  only  by  the  teaching  of  God  and  his 
Spirit,  as  it  is  written,  Thei/  (that  is,  the  true  children  of 
the  spiritual  church)  shall  be  all  taught  of  God;  he  there- 
fore that  hath  heard  and  learned  of  my  Bather ^  cometh 
to  me,  "  All  my  divinity  (said  Luther)  consisteth  in  this, 
"  that  I  believe  that  Christ  only  is  the  Lord,  touching 
"  whom  the  scriptures  speak  :  and  neither  my  grammar 
"  nor  Hebrew  tongue  taught  me  this,  but  it  is  the  work 
*'  of  the  holy  Spirit." 


350  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

Now  when  God  teacheth  us  his  word  himself,  we  have 
another  understanding  of  it  than  other  men,  who  hear 
and  read  the  same  outward  words,  and  yet  want  that  in- 
ward teaching ;  for  then  have  we  the  spiritual  meaning  of 
the  word,  and  the  very  mind  of  Christ  in  it,  which  others 
want,  that  are  not  so  taught ;  and  this  offends  the  carnal 
christians  grievously,  that  the  spiritual  christians  have 
another  knowledge  and  understiinding  of  the  word  than 
they ;  whereupon  they  thus  break  out,  "  What,  say  they, 
"  are  you  the  only  men  who  have  the  word  of  God,  and 
*'  is  all  wisdom  and  knowledge  comprehended  in  your 
"breasts?  and  do  you  know  more  of  the  mystery  of 
"  Christ,  than  the  grave  and  learned  men  who  have  stu- 
"  died  the  scriptures  all  their  life  ?  and  will  you,  with  your 
"  pretended  teaching,  overthrow  that  orthodox  sense  of 
'*  the  scriptures  that  we  have  had  so  many  years?"  And 
thus  they  are  greatly  offepded. 

They  are  offended  at  this  word,  because  it  discovers 
the  wickedness  of  the  world  and  worldly  church,  at  a 
very  high  rate.  The  world  doth  not  seem  the  thousandth 
part  so  wicked  any  where  else,  as  it  doth  where  the  gos- 
pel comes.  For  where  this  clear  light  of  God  shines, 
and  the  word  comes  in  any  degree  of  truth  and  power, 
there,  not  only  the  wickedness  of  the  world  appears  out  of 
measure  wicked,  but  also  the  religion,  and  righteousness, 
and  works,  and  duties  of  the  carnal  christians,  are  mani- 
fested to  be  gross  hypocrisy,  and  the  deceivableness  of 
unrighteousness,  and  wholly  contrary  to  Christ,  the  righte- 
ousness of  God,  and  so  nothing  else  but  a  more  plausible 
way  to  death  and  hell. 

Where  the  word  of  Christ,  or  the  gospel  of  God  comes 
in  power,  there  many  who  before  seemed  very  godly  and 
religious  people,  and  very  good  christians,  and  very  quiet 
and  peaceable  men,  do  presently  become  full  of  wrath 
and  rage,  and  cursed  enmity  against  it ;  and  call  it  error. 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  351 

and  heresy,  and  blasphemy,  and  so  do  no  less  than  spit 
in  the  very  face  of  the  truth  and  gospel  of  Christ,  which 
he  hath  manifested  above  all  his  name ;  and  no  man 
could  ever  have  imagined  they  had  been  such  children  of 
the  devil,  before  the  word  came. 

And  thus,  by  the  coming  of  the  word  in  the  spiritual 
sense  and  doctrine  of  it,  many  that  did  once  seem  to  be 
Christ's  friends,  are  manifested  to  be  his  utter  enemies. 
And  this  also  was  foretold  by  Simeon^  Luke  ii.  where  he 
saith,  that  by  the  coming  of  Christ  in  his  word,  the 
thoughts  of  many  hearts  shall  be  revealed,  and  then  that 
unbelief  and  enmity  against  Christ,  that  before  lay  hid,  is 
discovered  and  brought  forth  by  the  preaching  of  the 
word  as  we  have  seen  heretofore,  and  still  see  by  daily  ex- 
perience ;  and  for  this  cause  also  they  are  offended. 

5.  They  are  offended  ai  thp  true  word,  because  every 
where  so  few  entertain  it,  and  embrace  it :  as  when  Christ 
himself  preached,  there  w^re  very  few  in  all  Judea  and 
Jerusalem  that  entertained  his  doctrine  ;  and  though  some- 
times many  thronged  to  hear  him,  yet  at  another  time 
they  were  so  offended  at  this  doctrine,  that  they  all  for- 
sook him  ;  so  that  Christ  said  to  the  twelve,  JVillye  also 
go  away  ?  John  vi. 

Now  this  makes  many  to  be  offended  at  the  true  word, 
that  when  it  comes  to  any  town  or  people,  the  far  greater 
part  should  reject  it,  and  speak  evil  of  it ;  and  they,  for 
the  most  part,  the  greatest,  wisest,  and  most  learned  men ; 
and  that  only  a  few  poor  and  contemptible  people  should 
receive  it ;  this  also  exceedingly  offends. 

6.  And  lastly,  they  are  offended  because  the  true  word 
of  Christ,  where  it  comes  in  any  evidence  and  demonstra- 
tion of  the  Spirit,  brings  troubles,  tumults,  stirs  and 
uproars  in  the  world,  according  to  that  of  Christ,  Matt, 
X.  34. 1  came  not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword  \  for  I  am  come 
to  set  a  man  at  variance  against  his  father,  and  the  daughter 


352  THE  stumbling-stone, 

against  her  mother y  and  the  daughter-in-law  against  her  mo" 
ther-in-law  For  the  true  word  of  Christ,  is  such  a  sword 
as  cuts  in  sunder  all  natural  and  civil  relations,  and  takes 
away  the  peace  of  any  place  where  it  comes  in  power. 
Christ  saithalso,  I  am  come  to  sendjireon  the  earthy  and 
what  will  I  if  it  be  already  kindled?  Luke  xii.  49.  This 
fire  that  Christ  sends  is  the  word,  in  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit,  of  which  the  Lord  saith  by  the  prophet,  Is  not  my 
word  as  fire  ?  And  this  word  comes  to  burn  up  all  the 
corrupt  manners,  fashions,  customs ;  yea  all  the  lusts  and 
sins  of  the  world,  and  all  the  antichristian  doctrine,  and 
forms  of  worship  in  the  outward  church.  And  when 
this  fire  begins  to  burn  any  where,  presently  all  the 
people  are  in  an  uproar,  and  lay  all  their  heads,  and  use 
all  their  hands  together  to  quench  it. 

So  that,  wherever  the  true  word  comes,  the  heathen 
rage^  and  the  people  imagine  a  vain  thing ;  the  kings  of 
the  earth  set  themselves,  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  toge- 
ther against  it,  and  say.  Let  us  break  these  bonds  i?i  sun- 
der,  and  cast  away  these  cords  from  us  ;  which  no  flesh 
and  blood,  especially  the  rich,  wise,  learned,  and  honour- 
able, would  endure  to  be  bound  in. 

Now  this  exceedingly  ofiends ;  for  they  say,  before 
this  kind  of  word  came  in,  all  things  were  better  and 
more  quiet :  Under  episcopacy  all  things  were  well  and 
in  good  order ;  but  since  this  new  doctrine  came  in,  all 
things  are  full  of  trouble,  mischief,  wars  and  death  ;  and 
therefore  they  reckon  this  word  the  cause  of  all  the  evils 
we  have  and  do  endure. 

But  yet  the  cause  of  all  these  tumults  are  not  truly  in 
the  word,  but  in  the  world,  and  in  the  devil.  Christ  will 
have  his  christians  to  publish  his  word,  and  thereby  to 
gather  together  his  elect  unto  him :  now  the  world  and 
the  devil,  the  prince  of  it,  will  not  suffer  this  to  be 
done  quietly,  and  hence  arise  all  tumults.     The  devil, 


THE  STUMBLIXG-STOXE.  355 

who  hath  the  first  possession  of  the  world,  would  have  all 
things  quiet,  that  he  mii^ht  keep  his  possession  ;  but  Christ 
will  not  suffer  it  to  be  so,  but  he  will  have  all  those 
whom  his  Father  hath  given  him,  out  of  the  devil's 
possession,  by  the  might  and  efficacy  of  his  word  ;  but 
the  devil  will  not  endure  that  this  should  be  done  quiet- 
ly, but  stirs  up  all  the  world  against  the  word. 

And  so  wherever  the  word  comes  in  truth,  there  are 
always  troubles  and  uproars;  but  where  the  word  is 
preached,  and  the  world  is  quiet,  that  for  certain  is  noe 
the  true  word  of  God. 

Wherefore  the  dull  and  drowsy  divinity  of  synods  and 
schools,  cannot  be  the  true  word  of  Christ,  for  that  meets 
with  no  opposition  and  contradiction  at  all  from  the 
world,  or  worldly  church;  it  meets  with  no  enemies  and 
avengers  amongst  them,  but  it  is  rather  praised  and  em- 
braced, and  honoured  with  degrees  and  scarlet ;  and  the 
professors  and  publishers  of  it  are  in  credit  with  men  and 
worldly  powers,  and  receive  from  them  riches,  honour, 
and  quiet  life ;  whereas  the  true  doctrine  of  Christ  can 
never  be  published  without  the  offence  of  the  world. 

And  thus  much  for  their  offence  at  the  true  word  of 
Christ. 

3.  They  are  offended  at  his  true  worship. 

For  Christ,  under  the  New  Testament,  hath  instituted- 
a  new  worship,  and  this  the  world  and  worldly  church 
are  also  greatly  offended  at. 

Because  this  worship  is  wholly  spiritual,  and  hath  no- 
thing carnal  in  it,  but  consists  altogether  of  grace  and 
truth,  according  to  that  of  Christ  (e),  John  iv.  23.  The  hour 
Cometh,  saith  he,  and  now  isy  that  the  true  worshippers  shall 
worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth  ;  for  the  Father 

(e)  De  instituendo  cultu  notanda  tst  haec  regula,  sine  ^^piritu 
Sancto  non  est  suscipienda  ulia  ratio,  aut  modus  colendi  Dei.  Lu- 
ther in  c.  o^.     Gen, 

Yy    - 


354  THE  STUiMBLING-STONE. 

seeketh  such  to  worship  him  ;  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that 
worship  him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  and 
there  is  no  worship  in  truth,  but  that  which  is  in  Spirit. 
And  Paul  saith  of  true  behevers,  Phil.  'in.  2.  we  are  the 
circu  cision,  who  worship  God  in  the  Spirit,  and  have  no 
confidence  in  the  jlesh. 

Now  this  spiritual  worship  stands  in  faith,  hope  and 
love  ffj.  whereby  our  old  nature  is  mortified,  and  we 
bring  forth  spiritual  fruit  unto  God,  and  to  our  brother. 
And  this  worship  of  the  New  Testament  being  wholly 
spiritual,  is  free  from  time,  place  and  person,  as  all  spirit- 
ual things  are ;  and  so  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places  alike, 
this  worship  may  be  performed  by  all  persons  ahke,  who 
are  true  believers ;  and  so  accordingly  do  all  true  be- 
lievers, at  all  times,  and  in  all  places  alike,  believe  in 
God,  and  trust  in  him,  and  fear  him,  and  love  him,  and 
delight  in  him,  and  speak  good  of  his  name  ;  and  also  do 
good  to  their  brother,  in  instructing,  teaching,  exhorting, 
comforting  him,  and  helping  him  as  freely  as  Christ  hath 
helped  them ;  and  this  is  the  chief,  and  indeed  the  only 
true  v\  orship  of  the  New  Testament. 

For  the  gospel  hath  taught  us  that  Christ  is  the  true 
temple,  wherein  the  church  of  the  New  Testament, 
which  is  a  kingdom  of  priests,  are  all  ahke  to  worship  God, 
without  any  difference  or  distinction  of  persons ;  and 
also,  that  Christ  is  our  rest  as  well  as  our  righteousness ; 
and  it  is  as  great  a  sin  to  make  another  rest  than  Christ, 
as  it  is  to  make  another  righteousness  than  Christ ;  for  in 
him  alone  we  are  com  pleat,  and  furnished  to  all  things 
that  a{)pe  rtain  to  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  stand  in  need 
of  nothing  out  of  him  :  Wherefore  it  is  said,  Heb.  iv.  3. 
He  which  hath  believed,  is  entered  into  the  rest,  that  is,  into 

ffj  Cultus  Dei  principaliter  Sc  vere  consistit  non  in  externis 
f>peribus,  sed  in  fide,  spe  8c  dilectione  Dei.  Liit/i,  m  cap.  25.  Gen. 


THE  STUMBLIXG-STONE.  355 

Christ  and  his  righteousness  ;  and  so  hath  ceased  from  his 
own  work's^  as  God  did  from  hii. 

Now  the  world  and  worldly  church  are  greatly  offended 
at  this  spiritual  worship  ;  and  that  first,  because  it  makes 
no  great  show,  and  presents  no  glorious  outside  to  the 
world,  to  win  their  favour  and  appluuse,  and  so  they 
despise  it  as  a  notional  or  melancholic  thing. 

And  secondly,  because  this  is  wholly  out  of  the  reach 
and  power  of  the  natural  man ;  and  no  man,  by  his  free 
will,  or  natural  abilities,  can  attain  thereunto.  Where- 
fore they  are  offended  at  this  kind  of  worship,  and  would 
have  a  worship  in  the  days  of  the  gospel,  after  the  manner 
of  the  worship  of  the  law ;  a  worship  standing  in  out- 
ward works,  and  duties,  and  ceremonies,  and  in  observa- 
tion of  days,  times,  places,  and  persons;  and  much 
scandalize  that  worship,  which  stands  only  in  faith  and 
love,  and  makes  void  all  other  things. 

4.  They  are  offended  at  the  true  church  of  Christ. 

Because  Christ,  under  the  New  Testajiient  hath  set  up 
a  new  church,  which  is  not  outward  and  visible,  as  the 
church  of  the  Old  Testament  was ;  neither  carries  in  it 
any  worldly  pomp,  power,  and  glory,  as  the  church  of 
antichrist  doth,  but  is  wholly  spiritual  and  invisible,  and 
as  utterly  unknown  to  the  world,  as  Christ  himself. 

The  true  church,  under  the  new  law,  is  the  congrega- 
tion of  spiritual  men  gathered  together;  not  in  one  out- 
ward place,  but  in  one  faith,  hope  and  love,  in  one  Spirit, 
in  one  Christ,  in  one  God. 

It  is  the  company  of  the  faithful  and  elect,  which  have 
Christ  for  their  head. 

And  this  church  is  not  known  by  any  outward  orders, 
or  forms,  or  ceremonies,  or  manner  of  life,  but  only  by 
the  word  of  faith  ;  seeing  this  true  spiritual  church  is 
conceived  and  formed,  is  brought  forth  and  brought  up, 
is  fed  and  clothed,  is  strengthened  and  adorned,  is  pro- 


356  THE  Stumbling-stone. 

tectcd  and  perfected  by  this  word  of  faith  alone  ;  yea,  the 
Tvhole  nature,  and  life,  and  being,  and  action  of  this 
church,  is  in  the  word  of  faith. 

2.  They  are  offended  at  this  church,  because  it  is  the 
habitation  of  God,  and  his  very  kingdom,  wherein  he 
himself  is  present,  is  manifested,  speaks,  works,  reigns, 
is  glorified,  and  is  all  in  all  in  it  ;  and  so  it  will  not  re- 
ceive unto  itself  any  thing  of  the  power,  wisdom,  and 
righteousness  of  man.  They  arc  much  offended  to  hear 
that  this  church  is  the  temple  of  the  living  God,  and  that 
God  hath  said  it  himself,  that  he  will  cnvell  in  them^  and 
"walk  in  them  ;  and  that  God  is  in  them  of  a  truths  and  not 
by  fancied  habits  of  created  grace  ;  and  that  they  are  filed 
•with  all  the  fulness  of  God:  and  that  they  are  living  stones 
in  that  building,  wherein  Christ  himself  is  the  chief 
corner  stone  ;  and  that  they  arc  all  built  together  by  the 
Spirit,  to  be  the  habitation  of  God  :  This  doth  so  exceed- 
ingly offend  them,  that  is,  causeth  them  to  blaspheme,  in 
crying  out  against  this  doctrine  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as 
blasphemy. 

3.  They  are  offended  at  this  new  church  of  the  New 
Testament,  because  it  will  be  the  church  of  God  alone, 
and  will  not  acknowledge  any  to  be  of  it  but  such  as  are 
born  of  God,  and  have  obtained  like  precious  faith  with 
them ;  and  so  will  have  no  constant  communion  with  any 
(how  skilful  soever  in  the  letter  of  the  word,  and  how 
eminent  soever  in  outward  forms  of  religion  but  only 
with  such  who  have  true  fellowship  with  the  Father  and 
the  Son  in  the  Spirit, 

4.  They  are  offended  at  this  church,  because  usually, 
God  calls  unio  it,  not  the  great,  and  honourable,  and  wise, 
and  learned;  but  mean,  plain,  and  simple  people:  ac- 
cording to  that  of  Paul,  1  Cor.  i.  26.  You  see  your  calling, 
brethren,  how  that  not  many  wise  men  after  thefesh,  not 
many  mighty ,  not  many  noble  are  called;  but  God  hath 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  357 

chosen  the  foolish  things  of  the  worlds  to  confound  the 
wise  ;  and  God  hath  chosen  the  weak  things  of  the  xuorldy 
to  confound  the  migh'y ;  and  base  things  of  the  world, 
and  th?n?s  which  are  despised,  hath  God  chosen  ;  yea  and 
things  that  are  not^  to  bring  to  nought  things  that  are. 
So  that  this  true  church  consists  of  a  small  company  of 
poor,  mean,  simple,  base  and  despised  men,  in  the  eyes 
of  the  world  and  worldly  church ;  yea,  of  such,  who  in 
their  jud.a^ment,  deserve  to  have  no  place  nor  being  in  the 
world ;  and  who,  now,  out  of  their  own  choice,  would 
willino;ly  join  themselves  to  such  a  congregation  ? 

5.  The  great  and  worldly-wise  people  are  much  of- 
fended at  this  church,  because  of  its  outwardly  afflicted 
condition  in  the  world,  it  having  fellowship  with  Christ 
in  all  his  sufferings ;  and  so  is  always  reproached,  despi- 
sed, slandered,  torn,  spit  on,  buffeted,  crucified  and  mock- 
ed ;  and  from  ail,  most,  or  some  of  these  sufferings,  the 
spiritual  church  is  never  privileged  in  the  world :  and  by- 
reason  of  these  things,  the  visage  of  the  true  church  seems 
foul,  deformed,  and  offensive  in  the  eyes  of  men,  whilst 
the  national  and  carnal  church  is  highly  favoured,  esteem- 
ed, and  preferred  itself,  and  hath  its  chief  teachers  ho- 
nt)ured  with  scarlet  and  furs;  so  that,  if  Christ  were 
on  the  earth  again,  in  his  mean  and  plain  condition,  he 
would  be  ashamed  to  own  them,  and  they  would  be  as 
much  ashamed  to  own  him.  And  thus  much  for  their 
offence  at  the  true  church. 

5.  They  are  offended  at  the  true  government  of  this 
church. 

Because  Christ,  under  the  New  Testament,  as  he  hath 
set  up  a  new  church,  so  also  he  hath  set  up  a  new 
government  of  this  church ;  and  this  also  offends  in  many 
respects. 


358  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

1.  In  that  Christ  will  have  none  brought  to  his  church 
by  outward  violence  and  compulsion  {g),  though  he  have 
all  power  in  heave?i  and  in  earth;  but  in  the  day  of  his 
power,  that  is,  of  the  gospel,  he  only  entertains  the 
willing  people,  and  compels  no  body  against  their  wills ; 
seeing  he  seeks  not  his  own  profit,  but  ours :  Our  Lord. 
Jesus  Christ  gathers  his  true  church  on  earth,  according 
to  the  counsel  and  mind  of  his  Father  in  heaven,  and  so 
will  entertain  none  but  whom  his  Father  draws. 

2.  They  are  offended  at  his  government,  in  that,  in  his 
true  church,  he  makes  an  equality  between  all  christians 
through  faith ;  and  will  have  none  over  one  another,  but 
will  have  all  to  serve  one  another  in  love ;  and  so  he  will 
have  him  that  would  be  the  greatest,  to  be  the  least  of 
all ;  and  him  that  would  be  the  chief,  to  be  the  servant  of 
all ;  as  himself  came  not  to  be  served^  but  to  serve  and  to 
give  himself  a  ransom  for  many :  And  he  was  greater  than 
all  the  children  of  God,  not  through  any  worldly  great- 
ness, lordliness  or  dominion,  but  through  his  teachings 
and  instructing  them,  and  loving  them,  and  serving  them, 
and  suffering,  and  dying  for  them :  And  besides  this 
greatness,  there  is  nothing  but  equality  in  his  church. 

3.  They  are  oflended  at  his  government,  in  that  Christ 
doth  nothing  in  his  church  by  the  decrees  or  constitu- 
tions of  ecclesiastical  men,  or  by  the  secular  arm  and 
power  of  the  magistrate  ;  but  he  doth  all  by  his  word  and 
Spirit,  and  nothing  else :  and  these  alone,  without  the 
addition  of  any  thing  else,  are  infinitely  sufficient  to  do 
all  that  Christ  would  have  done  in  his  kingdom. 

4.  in  that  he  will  have  us  to  love  our  enemies^  and  to  do 
good  to  them  that  do  evil  to  us,  and  to  pray  for  tlwm  that  per- 

(§•)  In  toto  Novo  Testamento,  non  sunt  praecepta  urgentia,  sed  tan- 
tUH)  exhortaticncs  &  obsecrationes.  Nee  Christus  nee  apostoli  quen- 
quan)  unquam  coegerunt :  8c  Spiritus  sanctus  vocatur  in  hoc  Spiritus 
paracletus,  ut  e^Uiortetur,  huth^  2,  Responso  ad  libr.  Ambr.  Cathar. 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  359 

secute  us,  and  dcspitefully  use  us :  He  will  not  have  us  to  be 
enemies  to  any,  or  to  do  evil  to  any,  or  to  persecute  and 
use  despite  to  any ;  he  will  have  us  to  beware  of  false 
prophets,  but  not  to  destroy  them  ;  and  to  avoid  heretics, 
but  not  to  kill  them  ;  and  will  have  neither  of  them  burnt 
with  any  fire,  but  the  fire  of  love  (h). 

5.  Jn  that  he  will  have  all  things  in  his  kingdom, 
ordered  and  done  only  by  the  law  of  love,  and  nothing 
by  any  law  o^  violence  or  compulsion. 

Now  this  kind  of  government  of  the  true  church,  doth 
grievously  offend  the  world  and  worldly  church,  and  the 
governors  of  both ;  because  they  know  no  government 
of  the  church  at  all,  but  that  of  the  ecclesiastical  and 
civil  power  intermingled  ;  and  if  this  be  made  void,  they 
can  do  nothing  at  all  in  the  government  of  the  church ; 
but  think,  according  to  their  unbelief,  all  things  presently 
will  come  to  confusion;  for  they  want  faith  to  commit 
the  government  of  Christ's  own  church  to  his  own  care, 
by  his  Word  and  Spirit,  And  thus  they  are  offended  at 
this  true  government  also. 

6.  And  lastly,  (for  I  will  name  no  more  particulars  at 
this  time)  They  are  offended  at  Christ's  true  ministry. 

Because  Christ,  under  the  New  Testament,  hath  erected 
and  constituted  a  new  ministry  ;  not  through  any  ecclesias- 
tical ordination,  but  merely  through  the  unction  of  his 
Spirit,  without  any  regard  at  all  to  a  man's  outward 
calling  or  condition  in  the  world,  but  whether  (as  I  said 
before)  a  man  may  be  a  scholar,  or  clergyman,  or  gentle- 
man, or  tradesman,  if  Christ  call  him,  and  pour  forth 
his  Spirit  on  him';  that,  and  that  only  makes  him  a  true 
minister  of  the  New  Testament  (z). 

(h)  Igne  charitatis  coniburendi  sunt  hseretici,  &  quicunque  impie 
aapiunt  &  decent.     Luth.  torn.  2. 

(i)  In  Novo  Testamento  ostenduntur  omnia,  quae  facienda  omit- 
tendaque  sunt,  sed  memo  cogitur  ;  omnibus  permittitur  ut  vel  pe- 
reantj  vel.  salvi  fiant.    Luth,  Resfi,on,  ad  Ambros,  Cathar, 


360  THE  STUMELING.STONE. 

And  of  this  new  and  offensive  ministry  to  the  world 
and  worldly  church,  Christ  himself  was  the  first.  For  he 
was  not  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  as  the  apostle  saith,  Heb.  vii. 
*'  but  of  the  tribe  oiJudah,  of  which  Moses  speaks  nothing 
touching  priesthood  ;"  how  then  did  Christ  become  the 
first  and  chief  minister  of  the  New  Testament  ?  The 
Spirit  of  Christ  tells  us  by  Isaiah  Ixi.  and  Christ  himself 
tells  us,  Luke  iv.  saying,  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon 
me;  for  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
p  or ,  to  preach  good  tidings  to  the  meek^  to  bind  up  the 
broken-hearted,  &c.  So  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be- 
ing (according  to  the  dialect  of  antichrist)  a  lay-man,  and 
having  never  learned  letters,  nor  been  brought  up  a  scho- 
lar,  but  being  brought  up  with  Joseph  in  the  trade  of  a 
carpenter,  and  not  ordained,  neither  by  the  church  of  the 
Jews,  nor  allowed  by  them,  was  yet  the  first  and  chief 
minister  of  the  New  Testament,  through  the  unction  of 
the  Spirit  only. 

Now  the  worldly  church  were  extremely  offended  at 
this  very  thing,  as  you  may  see  in  the  gospel,  Matt.  xiii. 
54,  S^,  Jesus  came  into  his  own  country,  and  taught  them 
in  the  Synagogue,  insomuch  that  they  were  astonished  t 
(for  no  man  spake  like  him,  for  he  taught  with  authority, 
and  not  as  the  Scribes)  but  they  said.  Whence  hath  this 
man  (this  mechanic  man)  this  wisdom,  and  these  mighty 
works  ?  Is  not  this  the  carpenter''s  son  ?  Is  not  his  mother 
called  Mary  ?  And  are  not  his  brethren  and  sisters  all  with 
tis  ?  and  they  were  offended  in  him  ;  that  such  a  man  that 
had  no  degrees  nor  ordination,  should  yet  be  a  mmister. 

And  as  Christ  himself  was  the  first  minister  of  this  sort, 
so  he  chose  others  in  the  same  manner :  He  chose  fisher- 
men, and  tent-makers,  and  publicans,  plain  men,  and  of 
ordinary  employment  in  the  world,  and  only  put  his 
Spirit  on  them,  and  this  was  their  euflicient  unction  to 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  351 

the  ministry.  And  thus  it  was  foretold  by  ./o<?/,  chap.  ii.  28. 
jind  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,  saith  the  Lord^ 
that  I  will  pour  out  of  my  Spirit  on  all  Jlesh.  and  your  sons 
and  daughters  slmll  prophesy.  There  needs  nothing  to 
the  ministry  of  the  New  Testament  but  only  God's  pour- 
ing out  his  Spirit:  Wherefore  Christ  bids  his  disciples 
stay  at  Jerusalem  till  they  should  receive  the  promise  of 
the  Spirit,  and  then  they  should  go  forth  and  teach. 

And  so  after,  as  believers  received  the  Spirit,  so  they 
became  ministers  of  the  New  Testament,  as  we  see  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  in  the  first  three  hundred  years 
after  Christ.  For  there  is  but  one  only  ministry  of  the 
New  Testament,  which  is  common  to  all  men  alike,  who 
have  received  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  to  none  else,  though 
never  so  excellently  qualified  with  natural  abiUties,  and 
human  learning. 

For  the  things  of  the  gospel  are  altogether  invisible 
things,  and  cannot  be  known  but  by  the  teaching  of  the 
Spirit,  though  a  man  have  all  the  wisdom  and  knowledge 
in  the  world;  as  Paw/declares,  1  Cor.  ii.  8 — 10.  Eye  hath 
not  seen,  nor  ear  heard^  nor  the  heart  of  man  understood  the 
things  that  God  hath  pre'pared for  them  that  love  him  ;  but 
God  hath  revealed  them  to  us  (believers)  by  the  Spirit;  for 
the  Spirit  searcheth  all  things^  yea^  the  deep  things  of  God, 
For  xuhat  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man^  but  the 
Spirit  of  a  man  that  is  in  him?  Even  so  the  things  of  God 
knoweth  no  7nan,  but  the  Spirit  of  God.  jYoid  we  have 
received,  not  the  Spirit  of  the  world  (which,  for  jts  high- 
est perfection,  hath  only  human  wisdom  and  knowledge) 
but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God,  that  we  might  know  the 
things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God. 

Where  we  learn,  that  the  things  of  the  gospel,  and  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  are  not  known  at  all,  nor  discerned 
in  the  least  measure,  but  by  God's  Spirit ;  which  Spirit  is 
given  to  all  that  believe  :  and  this  Spirit  alone  is  sufficient, 

Zz 


S62  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

both  to  enable  us  to  know  clearly  and  certainly  the  things 
of  God,  and  also  to  publish  them  unto  others,  and  nothing 
of  man,  or  the  creature,  can  add  to  it. 

Wherefore,  when  Christ  chose  his  ministers,  according 
to  his  Father's  counsel,  he  chose  not  the  wise  and  learned, 
but  plain,  simple  men  ;  that  it  might  appear  to  all  the 
world,  throughout  all  ages,  how  infinitely  able  the  unc- 
tion of  his  Spirit  alone  is,  without  any  addition  of  any 
thing  else,  for  the  ministry  of  the  New  Testament :  And 
Christ,  upon  the  serious  consideration  of  this  strange 
choice  of  God  by  him,  breaks  forth  into  this  thanksgiving, 
Matt.  xi.  25.  I  thank  thee^  Father^  Lord  of  Heaven  and 
Earthy  that  thou  hast  hid  these  things  (that  is,  the  word  of 
faith,  and  mystery  of  Christ,  and  his  kingdom  from  the 
wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them  to  babes  ;  even 
so,  Father,  because  it  pleased  thee.  And  Dav?^,  admiring 
this  wonderful  dispensation,  speaks  thus  in  the  joy  of  his 
heart,  PsaL  viii.  1,  2.  O  Lord  our  Lord,  how  excellent  is 
thy  name  m  all  the  ivorld,  who  hast  set  thy  glory  above  the 
Heavens  I  and  then  shewing  wherein  this  high  glory  of 
God  appears,  saith.  Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and  suck- 
lings hast  thou  ordained  strength*  because  of  thine  enemies^ 
that  thou  7Jiightest  still  the  enemy  and  the  avenger.  God 
useth  no  other  instrument  to  overcome  the  greatest  ene- 
mies and  avengers,  that  arise  in  the  world  and  worldly 
church,  than  the  strength  he  ordaiua  out  of  the  mouth  of 
babes  and  sucklings,  that  is,  true  believers,  who  live  only 
on  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word. 

The  Lord  had  all  the  world  before  him,  to  have  chosen 
out  of  it  whom  he  pleased,  to  be  the  instruments  by  whom 
he  would  hold  forth  his  word  and  gospel  to  all  nations  : 
Yet  in  his  infinite  wisdom,  and  gracious  counsel,  and  good 
pleasure,  he  would  pass  by  the  wise  and  learned  men,  and 
great  philosophers,  and  subtle  disputants,  as  Paul  affirms, 
1  Cor.  i.  19.  that  God  hath  said,  I  will  destroy  the  wisdom 


THE  STUMBLTNG-STONE.  363 

of  the  wise,  and  bring  to  nothing  the  understanding  of  the 
prudent.  God  is  so  far  from  making  use  of  human  wis- 
dom and  prudence  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son,  that  he  quite 
destroys  it,  and  brings  it  to  nothing:  Wherefore  Prt?//adds, 
ver.  20.  Where  is  the  wise?  where  is  the  learned  or  letter- 
ed man  ?  where  is  the  disputer  of  this  world?  hath  not  God 
made  foolish  the  wisdom  of  this  world?  for  after  that^  in  the 
wisdom  of  God,  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God,  it 
pleased  God  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching,  to  save  them 
that  believe.  By  the  foolishness  of  preaching,  that  is,  by 
the  word  of  faith,  out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and  suck- 
lings, which  the  world  reckons  foolishness  :  by  this  alone, 
doth  God  bring  about  the  salvation  of  the  elect. 

Now  at  these  things  how  grievously  are  the  worldly- 
wise,  and  deep  learned  ones  (as  they  esteem  themselves) 
offended  ;  that  God's  Spirit  alone  should  be  a  sufficient 
unction  for  the  ministry  of  the  New  Testament,  and  that 
God  should,  on  set  purpose,  lay  aside  the  wise  and  pru- 
dent men,  and  choose  babes,  and  out  of  their  mouths 
ordain  his  great  strength,  to  set  up  Christ's  kingdom  in 
the  world,  and  to  destroy  Antichrist's  ?  Yea,  this  doctrine 
will  chiefly  offend  the  university.  < 

Objection.  For  you  will  say,  if  this  be  so,  what  need 
is  there  then  of  our  philosophy,  and  of  our  arts  and  sci- 
ences, to  the  ministry  of  the  New  Testament  ?  And  what 
need  is  there  of  our  acts  and  clerums  ?  And  what  need 
is  there  of  our  scarlet  and  tippets  ?  And  what  need  is 
there  of  our  hoods  and  caps,  &c.  If  the  unction  of 
the  Spirit  alone  be  sufficient  for  the  right  ministry,  and 
Christ  do  perfect  his  praise  by  the  mouths  of  babes  and 
sucklings,  then  what  need  is  there  of  all  these  things? 

I  ansnver.  No  need  at  all,  as  to  Christ's  kingdom,  and 
the  ministry  of  that :  For  it  is  one  of  the  grossest  errors 
that  ever  reigned  under  Antichrist's  kingdom,  to  affirm 


364  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

that  universities  are  the  fountains  of  the  ministers  of  the 
Gospel,  which  do  only  proceed  out  of  Christ's  flock. 

And  because  you  will  be  greatly  offended  at  me  for 
speaking  thus,  you  shall  hear  what  Luther  s^'iih  to  this  mat- 
ter, on  2  Fet.  u,  1.  upon  these  words,  but  there  were  false 
prophets  among  the  people,  as  there  shall  be  false  teachers 
among  you ;  the  word  Peter  uses  here  is  ypevMi^x(rx.a>,(n, 
false  doctors,  or  false  masters ;  and  Luther  saith  it  came 
to  pass  by  the  sini^ular  counsel  of  God,  that  our  teachers 
should  be  called  doctors  and  masters,  that  it  may  appear 
to  all  whom  Peter  here  means  :  And  he  farther  saith,  that 
Peter  hereby  doth  undoubtedly  tax  the  universities,  in 
which  such  men  are  created,  and  out  of-which  have  pro- 
ceeded all  the  preachers  in  the  world :  so  that  there  is  no 
town  or  city  under  the  whole  kingdom  of  Antichrist, 
which  hath  not  such  doctors  and  masters  as  are  created  in 
the  universities.  For  the  whole  world  (saith  he)  is  of  this 
opinion,  that  the  universities  are  the  fountains  whence  they 
should  flow,  who  ought  to  teach  the  people.  Now  this 
(saith  he)  is  a  most  horrible  and  abominable  error,  so  that 
nothing  has  proceeded,  in  all  the  world,  out  of  any  thing, 
so  much  to  be  opposed,  as  out  of  the  universities:  Where- 
fore (saith  he)  Peter  saith  that  all  these  are  false  masters 
and  false  doctors.  Thus  Luther,* 
.  Objection,  Now  if  any  say.  This  doctrine  being  com- 
monly taught  and  received,  will  throw  down  the  univer- 
sities : 

I  ansxver.  If  the  universities  will  stand  upon  an  human 
and  civil  account,  as  schools  of  good  learning  for  the  instruct- 

*  Quo  indubie  f.^xat  academias  in  quibus  tales  homines  creantur, 
e  quibus  prodieruni  omnes  in  orbem  prsedicatores,  8cc.  Totus  eniin 
orbis  in  liac  scDtentia  est,  hos  fontes  esse,  c  (juibus  scaturiant  qui 
docei'e  populum  dcbeant.  Uicest  error  horrendus  &  abominandus, 
xit  nihil  aeque  aversandum  ulla  ex  re,  quam  ex  academiis  prodierit, 
&c.  Luth.  in  we. 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  3(j5 

ing  and  educating  youth  in  the  knowledge  of  the  tongues 
and  of  the  liberal  arts  and  sciences,  thereby  to  make  them 
useful  and  serviceable  to  the  commonwealth,  if  they  will 
stand  upon  this  account,  which  is  the  surest  and  safest  ac- 
count they  can  stand  on ;  and  will  be  content  to  shake 
hands  with  their  ecclesiastical  and  antichristian  interest, 
then  let  them  stand,  during  the  good  pleasure  of  God  ; 
but  if  they  will  still  exalt  themselves,  above  themselves, 
and  place  themselves  on  Christ's  very  throne,  as  if  they 
had  ascended  up  on  high  to  lead  captivity  captive^  and  to 
give  gifts  to  men  for  the  work  of  the  mi?iist?-y  ;  and  so 
will  presume  to  darken  the  glory  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
his  true  ministry,  which  He  sends  forth,  as  his  Father  sent 
Him  ;  then  let  them,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  descend  into 
that  darkness,  out  of  which  they  first  sprang,  that  the 
glory  of  Christ  may  fill  the  world. 

And  thus  have  I  declared  how  the  world  and  worldly 
church  are  offended  at  Christ,  and  his  word,  and  worship, 
and  church,  and  government,  and  ministry  ;  and  so  con- 
sequently at  all  his  things. 

And  now  I  proceed  to  the  third  general  I  propounded ; 
to  wit,  to  shew, 

Third  point. 

How  great  an  evil  it  is  to  be  thus  offended  at  Christ 
and  his  things. 

And  this  appears  in  many  particulars. 

1.  One  evil  is,  that  to  be  offended  at  Christ  and  his 
things,  is  a  certain  evidence  that  men  are  wholly  ignorant 
of  Christ  and  of  God,  though  they  be  called  christians, 
and  have  the  name  of  God  tilways  in  their  mouths  :  For 
if  men  knew  Christ  aright,  and  God  in  Christ,  it  were  im- 
possible they  should  be  offended  at  Him  ;  and  inasmuch 
as  they  are  offended,  it  is  certain  they  do  not  know  Him 
by  any  revelation  from  the  Father.    Wherefore  Christ 


366  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

tells  his  disciples,  John  xvi.  3.  that  the  chief  ground  of 
that  offence  which  the  world  and  worldly  church  should 
take  against  them  who  are  his  true  members,  and  have  re- 
ceived the  same  word  and  Spirit  with  him,  through  true 
faith,  is,  because  they  have  not  known  the  Father  nor  him» 
For  he  that  knows  Christ  in  christians,  is  not  offended  at 
them ;  and  he  that  knows  God  in  Christ,  is  not  offended 
at  Him  :  But  they  that  are  offended  at  Christians,  know- 
not  Christ ;  and  they  that  are  offended  at  Christ,  know 
not  God. 

2.  When  men  are  offended  at  Christ  and  his  things, 
it  is  a  sign  they  are  real  unbelievers,  whatever  forms  of 
godliness  they  may  live  under ;  and  though  it  may  be 
they  have  been  old  professors  ;  for  Peter  saith,  Christ  is 
precious  to  them  that  believe  ;  wherefore,  they  that  are  of- 
fended, are  destitute  of  faith. 

3.  They  that  are  offended  at  Christ,  lose  all  that  spi- 
ritual and  eternal  advantage  that  comes  by  Christ  to  true 
believers ;  and  so  fall  short  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ, 
of  recoiiciliation  with  God  in  Christ,  of  the  righteous- 
ness, wisdom  and  power,  and  of  all  the  fulness  of  God 
in  Christ ;  of  eternal  redemption  from  the  law,  sin,  death, 
and  hell  by  Christ ;  and  of  all  that  great  salvation  that  is 
in  and  by  him ;  and  Jesus  Christ  is  wholly  in  vain  to 
them. 

When  men  are  fully  and  irreconcileably  offended  at 
Christ  and  his  thin,^s,  it  is  a  sign  they  are  of  the  wicked 
one,  of  the  seed  ol  the  serpent ;  as  Christ  told  such  of. 
fended  Jews,.  Ye  are  of  your  father^  the  devil \  and  my 
shttp  hear  my  voice ;  bu<  you  hear  it  not^  (but  are  offend- 
ed) and  therefore  you  are  none  of  my  sheep. 

5.  I'hey  that  are  offended  at  Christ,  are  utterly  ruined 
throut::li  such  offence :  Wherefore  Christ  is  called  a  stone  of 
stumbhng,  and  rock  of  offence  to  them  that  are  disobedient^ 
and  stumble  at  the  word:  And  he  is  said  to  be  set  for  the  fall 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  367 

and  ruin  of  many  in  Israel;  and  Matt.  xxi.  44.  Christ  saith, 
Whosoever  shall  fall  on  this  stone,  shall  be  broken  ;  but 
on  whosoever  it  shall  fall,  it  shall  grind  him  to  powder. 

For  whoever  stumbles,  or  dashes  against  this  stone, 
dashes  against  God  himself  in  the  nature  of  man :  He 
dashes  against  the  counsel  and  decree  of  God  ;  against 
the  wisdom  and  understanding  of  God  ;  against  the  love, 
mercy,  righteousness,  truth,  and  power  of  God  i  against 
the  eternal  Word  and  Spirit  of  God  ;  and  no  man  perishes 
like  that  man  :  For  he  incurs  all  that  wrath,  vengeance, 
destruction,  and  damnation,  which  the  Lord  God  himself, 
in  all  his  infinite  wisdom,  knowledge,  righteousness,  jus- 
tice, and  power,  can  inflict  on  him  to  all  eternity  ;  and  so 
he  is  indeed  ground  to  powder. 

Yea  further,  that  man  that  stumbles  against  Christ,  is 
not  only  ruined  by  such  oflence,  but  ruined  without  all 
means  or  hope  of  recovery  :  They  that  are  broken  against 
him,  and  by  him,  are  broken  in  pieces  like  a  potter's 
vessel,  which  can  never  be  made  up  again :  They  that 
fall  against  him,  never  rise  again ;  they  that  are  ruined 
by  him,  are  never  repaired  again.  If  a  man  were  dashed 
in  pieces  by  Moses,  he  might  be  repaired  again  by  Christ ; 
but  he  that  is  destroyed  by  the  Saviour,  by  whom  shall 
he  be  saved  ?  He  that  was  condemned  by  the  justice  of 
God  for  sin,  might  recover  again  by  the  love  and  mercy 
of  God  in  Christ ;  but  he  that  is  destroyed  by  the  love 
and  mercy  of  God,  is  past  all  hope  and  remedy. 

Wherefore  I  entreat  you  to  consider  this  thing  with  all 
your  hearts  :  For  nothing  makes  such  ruins  in  the  world, 
as  the  sin  of  being  offended  against  Christ  and  his  gos- 
pel. This  is  the  sin  that  ruined  Jerusalem  of  old,  and 
Germany  of  late ;  and  if  any  thing  undo  this  common- 
wealth, this  will  undo  it ;  the  offence  that  is  taken  by 
mean  men,  and  by  men  in  place  and  authority,  against 
Christ  and  his  gospel. 


368  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

And  this  is  the  sin  also  that  is  like  to  undo  and  ruin 
the  university,  and  to  raze  it  down  to  the  very  ground, 
even  your  horrible  envy,  enmity,  and  opposition  to  the 
truth  of  the  gospel :  When  Christ's  word,  or  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus,  is  hated,  opposed,  derided  and  scoffed  at 
in  your  colleges,  in  your  f.chools,  in  your  meetings ;  yea 
sometimes  in  your  pulpits;  diis  sin  will  dash  you  in  pieces, 
that  you  shall  find  none  to  recover  you.  This  sin  will  en- 
gage against  you  the  Son  of  the  living  God ;  and  when 
his  wrath  is  kindled  against  you  not  a  little,  but  to  the 
very  utmost,  for  so  great  wickedness,  shall  then  your* 
masters,  Plato^  jiristotle^  Pithagoras,  &;c.  be  able  to  de- 
liver you  ?  Or  shall  Thomas  and  Scotiis,  and  other  school- 
men, with  their  cold,  vain,  and  antichristian  divinity,  help 
you  ?  Or  shall  the  secular  arm,  and  worldly  power  (whom 
you  have  seduced  for  many  ages)  be  able  to  shelter  you 
in  such  an  hour?  No  certainly;  but  if  you  continue  in 
your  bitter  enmity  against  the  true  and  spiritual  word  and 
gospel  of  Christ,  Christ  lives  and  reigns  to  bring  you 
down  wonderfully,  and  to  make  your  name  a  shame  and 
a  curse  to  the  whole  true  church  of  God. 

And  this  poor  contemptible  doctrine  of  the  gospel, 
which  you  hear  to-day,  and  (it  may  be)  most  of  you  de- 
spise, and  esteem  no  more  than  a  straw  for  strength ;  this 
very  word  shall  prevail  against  you,  and  triumph  over 
you :  And  the  poor  people  of  God,  that  small  handful  of 
believers  that  are  amongst  you,  whom  you  despise  in  your 
hearts,  and  reckon  but  as  the  filth  and  bff'-scouring  of  the 
place,  even  they  shall  see  your  downfall,  and  shall  say, 
Thou  art  righteous,  0  Lord,  who  hast  judged  thus  ;  and 
shall  say  again,  £ve?z  so,  Lord  God  Mmightt/j  true  and 
righteous  are  thy  judgments* 

*  Certum  est,  Aristotelem  mortuum  8c  damnatum,  esse  doclo- 
rem  hodic  omnium  universitatum  magis  quam  Christum.  JRuth. 
Resjions.  ad  Libr.  Ambros.  Cathar. 


1 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  369 

And  this  now  have  I  spoken  in  faithfulness  to  Jesus 
Christ,  and  in  faithfuhiess  to  his  true  church,  and  in 
faithfuhiess  also  to  the  university,  that  they  might  hear, 
and  avoid  that  ruin,  which  will  otherwise  inevitably  befal 
them  for  their  offence  at  Christ  and  his  gospel.  And 
now  let  them  that  can  receive  it,  receive  it,  and  let  them 
that  cannot,  deride  and  reject  it ;  but  whether  you  re- 
ceive it,  or  whether  you  reject  it,  sure  I  am,  I  have 
spoken  the  truth,  which  God  himself,  in  his  due  time, 
will  witness  to :  And  so  much  also  for  this  point. 
The  fourth  point  is. 

The  blessedness  of  them  that  are  not  offended  at  Christ, 
according  to  Christ's  word  here, 

Blessed  is  he  whosoever  shall  not  be  offended  in  me. 

Now  those  very  few  who  are  not  offended  at  Christ  and 
his  things,  when  the  whole  world  and  worldly  church  are 
offended,  their  blessedness  appears  in  many  particulars. 

1.  As  first,  in  that  it  is  evident  that  they  all  are  taught 
of  God,  and  have  heard  and  learned  from  the  Father  him- 
self, touching  the  Son  :  And  they  that  see  Christ  by  the 
revelation  of  the  Father,  are  not  at  alf  offended  at  him,  when 
all  other  men  are.  For  such  do  clearly  see  Christ's  power 
in  his  weakness ;  his  glory  in  his  reproach  ;  his  exaltation 
in  his  abasement ;  his  divine  nature  in  his  human  :  they 
see  his  sufferings  were  for  our  sins,  his  stripes  to  heal  us, 
his  death  to  deliver  us  from  death  ;  and  all  this  they 
know,  not  only  by  the  letter  of  the  word,  but  also  by  the 
revelation  of  the  Father  in  their  hearts,  and  so  they  can- 
not be  offended  at  Christ,  who  see  him  thus.  Wherefore 
when  the  world  and  worldly  church  had  many  different 
opinions  of  Christ,  and  Peter ^  notwithstanding,  acknow- 
ledged him  to  be  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  Christ  replied. 
Blessed  art  thou,  Simon ,  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  re- 
vealed this  to  thee^  but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven  ;  And 
this  is  thy  blessedness,  that  thou   knowest  me  by  the 

3  A 


370  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

revelatiou  of  the  Father,   an'd  so  knowest  me  aright,  and 
art  not  offended. 

He  then  that  is  not  offended  at  Christ,  when  all  other 
men  are,  hath  for  certain  the  Father's  teaching,  and  sees 
Christ  far  otherwise  than  the  world  and  worldly  church 
do  ;  he  sees  Christ  in  all  his  mystery,  and  in  all  his  glory; 
and  when  we  see  him  thus,  we  value  him  never  the  worse 
for  the.  form  of  a  servant,  nor  for  all  his  reproaches  and 
sufferings  from  the  world,  but  we  rather  behold  these 
things  with  the  greater  wonder  and  comfort ;  seeing,  for 
our  sakes,  he  l.umbled  himself  from  the  form  of  God,  to 
the  form  of  a  servant,  and  in  that  form  to  the  death  of 
the  cross. 

2.  They  are  blessed,  because,  through  this  revelation 
of  the  Father,  they  have  true  faith  in  Christ  wrought  in 
them.  For  true  faith  in  Christ  doth  necessarily  follow 
the  Father's  revelation  ;  and  when  God  teaches  us  Christ, 
we  must  needs  believe  in  him  ;  and  through  this  faith  we 
know  him  by  experience:  And  he  that  knows  Christ 
through  the  expsnence  of  faith,  finds  and  feels  Christ  to 
be  all  that  to  him,  which  the  scripture  Sipeaks  of  him  : 
He,  through  this  faith,  feels  "  Christ  to  be  made  unto  him 
of  God,  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  re- 
demption," and  all  things ;  and  Christ,  being  through 
faith,  made  all  that  to  him,  which  he  is  in  himself,  it  is 
not  possible  he  should  be  offended  af  him. 

Farther,  through  this  experience  of  faith,  Christ  be- 
comes precious  to  him  ;  as  Peter  saiih,  1  Pet.  ii.  7.  To 
yon  who  believe,  he  is  precious  :  That  very  Christ,  which  to 
others  is  a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence^  is  pre- 
cious to  them  who  haVe  faith,  and  know  him  by  expe- 
rience ;  so  precious,  that  they  esteem  all  the  greatest  and 
most  excellent  tilings  in  the  world  but  dross  and  dung  in 
qom-parison  of  him;  and  such  believers  have  chosen  to  part 
with  their  liberty,  their  estates,  their  relations,  and  their 
own  lives,  all  which  are  precious  things  in  themselves, 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  371 

rather  than  they  would  part  with  this  infinitely,  more  pre- 
cious Christ. 

3.  They  are  blessed,  in  that,  through  this  faith  they 
have  establishment,  as  Christ  saith,  on  this  rock  I  will  build 
my  church  :  And  he  that  hath  Christ  for  his  only  founda- 
tion, is  never  offended  at  him,  whatever  scandals  the 
world  and  the  devil  raise  up  against  him  ;  But  he  that 
hath  another  foundation  than  Christ,  to  wit,  either  his 
own  works  and  righteousness,  or  the  world,  and  the 
things  of  the  world,  when  scandals  come,  they  are  pre- 
sently offended,  and  their  ofl'cnce  against  Christ  declares 
they  are  not  built  on  him.  But  they  whom  nothing  can 
offend,  are  surely  built  and  established  on  Christ,  and  in 
this  they  are  blessed. 

4.  They  who  have  received  the  revelation  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  through  this  revelation,  true  faith,  and  through 
this  true  faith,  firm  establishment,  are  farther  blessed,  in 
that  all  such  are  past  perishing ;  for  he  that  cleaves  so  in- 
separably to  Christ,  that  nothing  can  offend  him,  and  is  so 
firmly  built  on  Christ,  that  nothing  can  remove  him,  it  is 
impossible  for  him  to  perish  by  any  thing  :  Wherefore  it 
is  said.  Behold^  I  l^y  "^  '^ion  a  chief  corner-stone^  elect 
and  precious ;  and  he  that  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be 
confounded:  And  Matt.  xvi.  saith  Christ,  On  this  rock  I 
rvill  build  my  churchy  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail, 

5.  And  last  of  all,  they  that  have  escaped  the  offence 
of  Christ,  are  sv^re  of  salvation  :  For  such  do  truly  partake 
of  all  that  infinite  and  everlasting  advantage  that  is  by 
Christ ;  they  partake  of  his  own  righteousness,  and  wis- 
dom, and  truth,  and  power,  and  nature,  and  life,  and 
word,  and  Spirit,  and  of  all  his  fulness ;  and  thus  they 
have  true  possession  of  the  beginnings  of  eternal  life,  as 
John  saith.  These  things  have  I  written  to  you  that  believe^ 
that  ye  may  know  that  ye  have  eternal  life  abiding  in  you, 
1  John  V.  13.  and  Christ  saith,  I  give  unto  my  sheep  eter- 


372  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

nal  life  ;  that  very  life  which  was  in  the  Father,  and  was 
communicated  to  Christ,  and  manifested  in  his  human 
nature. 

And  in  all  these  respects  are  they  blessed  that  are  not  of- 
fended at  Christ,  as  Christ  affirms.  Blessed  is  he  whosoever 
shall  not  he  offended  in  me. 

And  so  now  I  proceed  to  some  uses. 
5.  The  uses. 

1.  To  warn  all  sorts  of  men,  that  they  take  special 
care  that  they  be  not  offended  at  Christ,  and  the  things 
of  Christ :  You  have  heard  that  the  world,  and  the  wisest, 
and  greatest  of  the  world,  and  that  the  worldly  church, 
and  the  most  holy  and  religious  in  that,  are  oftended  at 
Christ :  And  you  have  heard  also  how  great  an  evil  it  is  to 
be  offended,  and  how  great  a  blessedness  it  is  not  to  be 
oflended ;  wherefore  I  do  advise  you  from  the  word,  to 
take  care  that  you  be  not  found  amongst  them  who  are 
offended  at  Christ. 

Objection.  But  you  will  be  ready  to  say.  We  hope  we 
are  not  offended  at  Christ,  but  we  do  love,  honour,  and 
embrace  both  Christ,  and  the  things  of  Christ. 

To  this  I  answer.  That  many  do  usually  say  they  are 
not  ofliended  at  Christ,  and  it  may  be,  some  may  think  so 
too,  who  yet  indeed,  and  before  the  Lord,  are  grievously 
offended  at  him ;  as  may  thus  appear.     For, 

1.  First,  He  that  is  offended  at  the  true  word  of 
Christ,  is  offended  at  Christ  himself;  5^or  Christ  is  the 
word,  the  gospel  word,  the  word  that  was  with  God,  and 
was  God,  and  came  into  the  flesh  ;  and  that  spake,  and  suf- 
fered, and  died,  and  overcame  all  in  that  flesh  ;  and  Christ 
said  it  was  expedient  for  the  church,  that  he  should  with- 
draw his  flesli,  or  bodily  presence,  and  only  continue  that 
presence  of  his  with  them,  which  is  by  the  living  word  of 
God,  through  the  gospel ;  and  this  is  that  Jesus  Christ 
who  is  present  with  believers  to  the  end  of  the  world. 


I 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  373 

And  so  he  that  is  offended  at  the  true  spiritual  word, 
held  forth  by  the  confession  of  faith,  is  offended  at  Christ 
himself,  who  is  present  in  that  word  ;  wherefore  saith 
Peter,  1  Pet.  ii.  8.  He  is  a  stone  ofstumbUng,  and  a  rock  of 
offence  to  them  that  stumble  at  the  word.  The  most  people 
adore  the  outward  name  of  Christ,  but  yet  cannot  endure 
the  true  word  of  Christ.  Now  all  that  are  offended  at  the 
true  spiritual  word  of  Christ,  and  right  doctrine  of  the 
gospel,  are  offended  at  Christ  himself,  and  stumble  at  that 
stumbling-stone.  And  thus  multitudes  are  offended  at 
Christ,  who  think  themselves  very  free  from  this  sin. 

2.  They  that  are  offended  at  true  believers,  are  of- 
fended at  Christ  himself.  For  they  are  in  the  world  as  he 
was,  and  walk  as  he  did  walk  ;  and  they  are  one  flesh  and 
spirit  with  him  ;  they  are  his  members,  they  are  Himself; 
and  whosoever  is  offended  at  them,  is  offended  at  Him. 
For  Christ  is  the  self-same,  both  in  himself  the  head,  and 
in  believers  his  members.  And  these  are  the  children  of 
God,  together  with  Him  the  first-born,  and  these  are  com- 
prehended in  the  same  love,  chosen  with  the  same  choice, 
called  with  the  same  calling,  sanctified  with  the  same  ho- 
liness, kept  by  the  same  power,  and  glorified  with  the 
same  glory  :  These  partake  of  the  same  divine  nature,  and 
have  the  same  word  and  spirit  dwelling  in  them,  in  the 
same  righteousness,  wisdom,  grace  and  truth;  and  there 
is  no  difference  between  Christ  and  them,  but  what  is  be- 
tween the  head  and  the  members,  the  first-born  and  his 
brethren.  And  so,  they  that  are  offended  at  these,  would 
as  certainly  and  necessarily  be  offended  at  Christ  himself, 
if  he  had  lived  in  their  time,  or  if  they  had  lived  in  his 
time. 

It  is  manifest  then,  that  they  who  are  offended  at  the 
word  of  Christ,  and  at  the  works  of  Christ,  at  the  nature 
and  life  of  Christ  in  believers,  would  have  been  ofiended 
at  them  in  Christ  himself.  Yea,  they  who  are  offended  at 


374  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

Christ  in  believers,  would  much  more  have  been  offended 
at  Christ  in  himself;  because  what  is  in  a  christian  but  in 
part,  was  fully  in  Christ ;  and  what  is  in  a  christian  in  a 
small  measure,  was  in  Christ  without  measure ;  and  there 
was  in  Christ  a  far  more  glorious  presence  and  manifes- 
tation of  God,  than  in  any  christian ;  and  proportionably 
would  they  have  been  offended  at  Him  in  himself,  who 
are  truly  offended  at  him  in  his  members. 

3.  They  who  are  offended  at  the  sufferings  which  come 
on  christians  for  Christ's  sake,  are  offended  at  Christ 
himself,  because  they  suffer  not  on  their  own  account,  but 
on  Christ's,  and  the  cross  tliey  take  up  and  bear,  is  His, 
and  not  their  own.  If  they  would  live  as  other  men,  in 
the  common  religion  of  the  nation,  and  make  use  of  the 
form  of  godliness  without  the  power ;  and  comply  with 
that  doctrine  and  discipline  which  the  clergy  shall  allow 
for  orthodox,  and  the  magistrate  accordingly  approve  and 
confirm  :  Then  might  they  live  as  quietly  and  prosper- 
ously as  other  men ;  but  because  they  cleave  only  to 
Christ,  and  take  him  for  their  only  master  in  the  things 
of  God,  and  receive  his  word  in  faith,  and  then  hold 
it  forth  to  others,  therefore  the  world  hates  them  ;  as 
Christ  s?ad,  I  have  given  them  thy  word,  and  the  world  hath 
hated  them^  because  they  are  not  of  the  world,  as  lam  not  of 
the  world. 

Wherefore  every  true  christian,  who  speaks  and  pro- 
fesses the  word  of  faith,  the  word  which  exalts  Christ 
alone  and  his  things,  and  throws  down  all  other  things 
of  the  world,  though  in  the  highest  esteem  with  men, 
must  needs  meet  with  his  enemies  and  avengers,  his 
Scribes  and  Pharisees^  his  Herods  and  Pilates  :  And  now, 
when  the  carnal  church,  which  hath  the  favour  and  coun- 
tenance of  the  state,  sees  poor  christians,  for  the  word's 
sake,  suffering  all  the  hatred,  malice  and  rage  of  the  world, 
and  worldly  church,  they  are  greatly  offended  at  them  ; 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  375 

and  in  being  offended  at  them,  they  are  offended  at  Christ 
himself;  for  it  is  his  cause  in  which  they  suffer,  and  not 
their  own  ;  and  it  is  he  who  suffers  in  liis  cause,  more  than 
they,  as  is  evident  by  that  complaint  of  his,  Saul,  Said^ 
why persecutest  thou  me  ?  I  say,  as  it  is  Christ  that  is,  and 
doth  all  in  his  true  saints,  so  also  it  is  he  that  suffers  all 
in  them  ;  and  they  who  are  offended  at  these  sufferings 
of  believers,  which  they  suffer  in  and  for  Christ  are  offend- 
ed at  Christ  himself. 

And  in  these  three  respects  it  doth  plainly  appear,  that 
many  who  pretend  to  honour  the  outward  name  of  Christ, 
are  yet  indeed  grievously  offended  at  him. 

2.  The  second  use  is  another  caution,  to  warn  all  men 
to  take  heed,  that  they  be  not  offended  themselves  at  Christ, 
neither  be  troubled  nor  offended  with  the  offences  of 
others :  but  when  we  see  the  whole  world  and  worldly 
church  offended  at  Clirist  and  his  things,  let  us  take  care 
that  we  be  not  offended  also ;  but  let  us  consider, 

1.  That  it  is  no  new  thing  that  Christ  and  his  gospel 
should  be  stumbled  at,  and  contradicted  by  the  world 
and  worldly  church  :  For  thus  it  was  foretold  by  the  pro- 
phets, and  thus  it  hath  been  done  ever  since  Christ  was 
manifested  in  the  flesh.  In  the  days  of  his  ministry,  his 
doctrine  was  so  contrary  to  carnal  reason,  and  the  human 
apprehensions  of  men,  in  matters  of  religion,  that  many 
of  his  disciples  said,  This  is  a  hard  saying,  who  can  bear 
it  ?  John  vi.  Yea,  vmny  of  his  disciples  murmured  at  his 
doctrine,  and  went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with  him  : 
And  all  along,  during  Christ's  ministry,  many  were  snared, 
and  stumbled,  and  fell,  and  were  broken  thereby  ;  and 
he  that  is  troubled  and  offended  at  this,  must  get  him 
another  Christ,  and  another  gospel ;  for  the  true  Christ  is 
set  for  a  sign  to  be  spoken  against ;  and  the  true  gospel 
is  set  for  a  word  of  contention  and  contradiction  to  the 
carnal  christians,  and  to  the  whole  world. 


376  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

Wherefore,  when  we  see,  in  our  time,  the  world  and 
worldly  church  offended  at  Christ  and  his  gospel,  let  us 
know  that  thus  it  hath  been  from  the  beginning  ;  and  let 
us  know  that  as  Christ  and  his  gospel,  are  the  same  now 
as  they  were  then,  so  the  world  and  antichrist,  and  the 
devil,  the  head  of  both,  are  the  same  also ;  and  therefore 
it  carmot  be,  but  Christ  and  his  gospel  must  suffer  the 
same  contradiction  in  our  time,  as  they  have  done  in  all 
former  times. 

2.  That  we  may  not  be  offended  with  the  common 
and  general  offence  of  others,  let  us  consider  that  Christ 
and  his  gospel  are  never  the  worse  for  the  offence  which 
the  world  takes  at  them  ;  but  Christ  is  still  the  Son  of  the 
living  God,  and  the  gospel  is  still  the  power  of  God  to 
salvation,  to  every  one  that  believes;  and  Christ  and  his 
word  do  still  remain  a  sure  foundation  for  the  true  church 
of  God :  That  Christ  crucified^  which  is  to  the  Jews  a 
stumbling-block^  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness.,  is,  notwith- 
standing, to  them  who  believe.,  Christ  the  power  of  God  and 
Christ  the  wisdom  of  God:  1  Cor.  i.  So  that  Christ  is  not 
the  worse  for  the  world's  being  offended  at  him,  neither  do 
the  faithful  think  him  the  worse  :  Nay,  the  more  vile  he 
is  to  others,  he  is  still  the  more  precious  to  them. 

3.  Let  us  consider,  that  notwithstanding  all  the  offence 
of  men,  Christ  and  his  gospel  still  remain  and  continue 
what  they  are,  and  cannot  be  prevailed  against.  Men 
may  be  offended  at  Christ  and  his  word,  but  they  cannot 
destroy  and  extinguish  them  ;  but  they  still  remain,  and 
do  always  prevail  against  all  things  that  oppose  them. 

Wherefore,  to  deliver  us  from  the  scandal  of  all  men's 
being  offended  against  Christ,  we  are  to  consider,  that  as 
all  the  world  have  been,  are,  and  will  be  against  Christ, 
so  Christ  and  his  kingdom  shall  rise  up  and  increase 
against  all  the  world,  and  against  all  their  thoughts  and 
endeavours ;    and  all   their  councils,  contrivances,  and 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  377 

industrious  actings,  shall  not  be  able  to  hinder  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  from  prospering,  and  growing  great  ;  but  it 
shall  arise,  and  stand  up  in  all  its  glory,  out  of  the  midst 
of  all  the  offences  and  contradictions  in  the  world.  Where- 
fore, Christ  and  his  kingdom  are  called  a  tried  stone  ;  for 
he  hath  long  ago  endured  whatever  the  world  and  worldly 
church   could  do  against  Him,  and  whatever  the  might 
and  malice  of  men  and  devils  could  do  against  Hmi,  and 
yet  hath  overcome  all :  All  that  have  opposed  Him  have 
been  dashed  in  pieces  by  Him,  in  the  several  ages  of  the 
world ;  and  he  and  his  kingdom  still  remain,  and  shall  re- 
main for  ever;  for  he  is  a  sure  tried  stone.   And  they,  in 
this  town  and  university,  who  are  the  most  grievously  of- 
fended at  the  word,  shall  not,  by  all  their  subtilty,  malice, 
slanders,  evil-speaking,  nor  by  any  thing  they  can  say  or 
do,  design  or  undertake,  be  able  to  prevail  against  it ;  but 
they  must  shortly  die,  and  depart  out  of  the  world,  and 
in  despite  of  them,  leave  this  word  of  God  behind  them, 
to  live  and  flourish,  and  overspread  the  world.  And  these 
considerations,  if  entertained  by  faith,  may  keep  us  from 
being  offended  at  the  offence  of  the  whole  world :  And 
this  for  the  second  use. 

3.  In  the  third  place,  I  shall  shew  you  how  believers 
ought  to  carry  themselves  in  the  midst  of  those  offences 
that  are  taken  against  Christ,  and  against  themselves  for 
Christ's  sake,  that  is,  his  life  and  doctrine's  sake. 

1.  First  then,  We  ought  to  be  careful  to  abide  in 
Christ,  and  to  walk  in  Christ ;  to  speak  all  our  words, 
and  to  do  all  our  works,  and  to  live  our  whole  life  in 
Christ,  and  in  his  Spirit ;  that  so  the  world  may  not  be  of- 
fended at  us  who  are  nothing,  and  do  nothing  in  ourselves, 
but  at  Christ  in  us,  who  is  and  doth  all  in  us  :  And  then, 
as  we  shall  certainly  be  established  and  preserved  in  Christ, 
through  our  abiding  in  Him ;  so  they  shall  as  certainly 

3B 


378  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

perish,  and  be  ruined  through  His  abiding  in  us,  and 
their  dashing  against  Him  in  us. 

2.  To  carry  ourselves  aright  in  the  midst  of  oiFences, 
let  us  be  sure  that  the  word  we  believe  and  hold  forth  is 
Christ's  word,  and  then  we  may  be  very  confident  that 
this  truth  and  cause  shall  and  must  remain,  how  many  ad- 
versaries soever  it  may  have :  and  though  the  world  and 
devil  may  rage  against  it,  yet  (as  hath  been  said)  they 
shall  never  be  able  to  overthrow  it,  much  less  to  root  it 
out. 

A  true  christian  must  be  able  to  say,  I  loiow  the  word 
which  I  believe  and  profess,  is  the  only  word  of  the  Lord 
God,  and  his  everlasting  and  unchangeable  truth,  vind 
the  last  manifestation  of  his  will  by  his  own  Son  ;  and 
whatever  word  agreeth  not  herewith,  is  false,  and  of  the 
devil,  and  antichrist ;  and  therefore,  by  this  word  will  I 
staj%  though  all  the  world  be  against  me. 

And  when  we  are  thus  certain  of  the  word  of  God, 
through  faith  and  the  Spirit,  it  comforts  the  heart,  and 
makes  it  glad,  and  settles  it  in  inward  peace  and  rest,  in 
the  midst  of  all  outward  oppositions  and  troubles,  as 
through  God's  goodness  we  have  found  by  experience. 
For  when  we  know  that  the  word  which  we  have  received 
and  profess,  is  the  very  doctrine  of  the  Son  of  God,  then 
also  we  know  that  it  shall  prevail  against  ail  kingdoms, 
commonwealths,  states,  governments,  societies,  univer- 
sities ;  against  all  laws,  orders,  decrees,  acts,  and  against 
all  sorts  and  degrees  of  worldly  and  ecclesiastical  powers, 
which  are  contrary  thereunto ;  and  shall,  in  the  time  ap- 
pointed by  God,  utterly  consume  them,  and  bring  them 
to  nothins:. 

And  by  these  means,  to  wit,  by  abiding  in  Christ,  and 
being  all  in  Him  ;  and  by  being  sure  that  the  word  we 
believe  and  profess,  is  His  word,  we  may  live  safely  in 
the  midst  of  ail  offences,  without  the  least  prejudice. 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  379 

4.  Lastly,  I  shall  speak  a  few  words  to  those  in  this 
university  and  town,  who  are  offended  at  Christ  and  his 
gospel ;  and  also  a  few  words  to  those,  who  (through  the 
grace  of  God)  have  escaped  this  offence,  and  so  shall 
conclude  this  matter. 

And  first  for  you  who  are  offended  at  Christ  and  his 
word,  (which  we  must  needs  say  is  come  amongst  you  in 
truth,  and  in  plainness,)  and  are  angry  at  it,  and  storm  at 
it,  and  reproach  it,  and  think  and  contrive  how  to  resist 
it,  and  to  hinder  the  free  course  and  passage  of  it  in  this 
place  ;  because  it  is  not  only  contrary  to  the  philosophical 
divinity  of  the  schools  and  university,  and  the  common, 
carnal  religion  of  the  nation,  but  doth  also  reprove  and 
condemn  them,  and  will  have  the  haughtiness  of  men  bowed 
doxun^  and  the  pride  of  men  laid  low^  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  his  things  only  exalted:  and  that  here,  where 
the  wit,  and  wisdom,  and  parts,  and  learning,  and  accom- 
plishments of  men,  have  ruifled  it,  and  reigned  hitherto ; 
I  say,  you  that  are  thus  offended  for  this  cause,  are  offend- 
ed at  Christ  himself,  and  at  God  in  Christ,  and  you  do 
stumble  at  the  stumbling-stone,  and  shall  so  fall  thereby, 
as  to  be  broken  in  pieces :  Yea,  this  stone  itself  shall  fall 
upon  you,  and  shall  grind  you  to  powder,  and  you  shall 
*'  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power ;"  and 
this  destruction  shall  be  poured  on  you  with  the  greatest 
severity  and  wrath,  that  God  himself  can  inflict  in  all  his 
infiniteness  and  eternitv ;  for  if  (as  the  penman  of  the 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews  saith)  the  word  spoken  by  angels 
was  steadfast^  and  every  transgression  and  disobedience  re- 
ceived a  just  recompense  of  reward,  what  escaping  can 
there  be  for  them  who  neglect  that  great  salvation,  which 
was  published  at  first  by  the  Lord  Christy  and  afterwards 
confirmed  by  the  first  believers,  and  witnessed  to  by  signs 
and  miracles,  and  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  by  God  himself :  Heb. 


580  THE  STUMBLING-STONE. 

ii.  2,  3.  and  if  (as  the  same  believer  saith,  he  that  despised 
Moses^  law^  died  without  mercy,  of  how  much  sorer  pu- 
nishment shall  he  be  guilty,  who  treads  underfoot  the  Son 
of  God?  &c.  And  assuredly  it  had  been  much  better  for 
you,  if  you  had  lived  among  the  Heathen  and  Pagans, 
where  the  gospel  of  God  our  Saviour  had  never  been 
heard,  than  to  hear  this  joyful  sound,  which  manifests  the 
love  of  God,  and  brings  along  with  it  remission  of  sins, 
and  the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  through  faith  in  Christ,  and  to 
be  offended  at  it,  and  so  to  be  destroyed  by  the  word  of 
salvation,  and  to  be  immediately  punished  with  eternal 
death,  by  Him  who  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life.  And 
this  is  the  heavy  burden  which  the  word  of  the  Lord  hath 
laid  on  your  shoulders,  and  you  cannot  remove  it. 

2.  And  then  for  you  true  believers,  you  little  flock, 
you  it\Y  chosen  out  of  the  many  called,  who  hear  the  word 
of  Christ,  and  are  not  offended  at  it  f  though  you  hear  it 
every  where,  and  that  with  both  ears,  in  this  university 
and  town,  contradicted,  misreported,  reproached,  scandal- 
ized, and  called  error,  heresy,  new  light,  faction,  schism, 
sedition ;  and  hear  all  manner  of  evil  spoken , against  it 
falsely,  not  only  by  the  rude  and  ignorant  p^ple,  but 
also  by  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  and  hypocrites  of  this 
place ;  and  yet  for  all  these  offences,  you  are  not  offended 
at  it,  but  own  it,  and  love  it,  and  embrace  it,  notwith- 
standing all  the  extreme  disadvantages  it  hath  from  this 
place,  which  is  counted  by  carnal  people  the  very  foun- 
tain of  religion  and  the  ministry;,  knowing  by  Gpcl's 
own  teaching,  that  it  is  the  word  of  righteousness  dnd 
life,  and  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  thou Jifl?  contrary  to  ihe 
sense  of  the  university  and  schools,  wMo  have  generally 
their  teaching  from  man:  To  all  such,  I^^say  by  th&  word 
of  the  Lord,  Blessed  are  ye,  of  the.  blessed  of  the  L<ird, 
for  you  are  all  laught  of  God  touching'Christ,  and  hftve 
heard  and  learned  the  Son  from  the  Father,  and  through 


THE  STUMBLING-STONE.  381 

this  teaching  you  have  true  faith  in  Christ,  and  so  know 
Him  by  experience  ;  whereupon  Christ  is  most  precious 
to  you ;  and  through  this  faith  you  are  estabhshed  on 
Christ,  so  that  nothing  from  earth  or  hell  can  remove 
you. 

This  is  your  blessedness  from  the  Lord  ;  and  the  world 

nd  the  devil  shall  never  be  able  to  make  it  void ;  and 

i  :refore,  go  and  eat  your  bread  with  cheerfulness,  and 

.     down,  and  rise,  and  live  in  safety,  under  the  shadow 

he  Almighty,  though  in  this  world,  and  in  this  place, 

dwell  among  bears  and  lions,  and  have  your  conver- 

^tion  in  the  midst  of  scorpions ;  for  Christ  himself  hath 

*^.!    -led  you  in  himself,  and  you  shall  be  blessed  for  ever ; 

t/  is  he  whosoever  shall  7iot  be  offended  in  me. 


pK^ 


i 


^fFTW^'^ 


THE 


DOCTRINE 


OF 


BAPTISMS, 


REDUCED  FROM  ITS  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  CORRUPTIONS  ; 


^^Sk 


RESTORED  TO  ITS  PROUTIVE 


^       .rtj^      SOUNDNESS  AND  INTEGRITY. 


ACCORDING  TO  THE  WORD  OF  TRUTH,  THE  SUBTSANCE  OF 
FAITH,  AND   THE    NATURE    OF    CHRIST's    KINGDOM. 


Isaiah  LII.  15.' 

That  -which  huth  not  been  told  them,  they  shall  see  ;  and  that  iv/uch  they  have 
not  heard,  they  shall  consider. 


-^CNM 


TO  THE  READER. 


THE  doctrine  of  Baptisms  hath  been  dark  and  ob- 
scure in  the  church,  from  the  very  primitive  times ;  and 
hath  had  more  of  human  notion,  than  of  divine  truth  in 
it ;  and  therefore  Zuinglius,  writing,  touching  this  point, 
speaks  thus  in  the  beginning  of  his  book  ;  lihid  mihi  in- 
genue circa  llbri  inititan  dicendum  est^  fere  omnes  eos,  quot- 
quot  ah  ipsis  apostolorum  temporibus,  de  baptismo  scribere 
instituerunt,  non  in  paitcis  [quod pace  omnium  hominum^ 
dictum  essevelim)  a  scopo  aberravisse  [a):  that  is,  *'  In  the 
"  bes:inning  of  my  book,  saith  he,  I  must  ingenuously 
*'  profess,   that  almost  all  those  that  have  undertaken  to 
*'  write  of  baptism,    even  from  the  very  times    of   the 
"  apostles,  have  (which  I  desire  may  be  spoken  with  the 
"  favour  of  all)  not  in  a  few  things  erred  from  the  scope." 
And  as  he  affirms,  that  almost  all  before  him  had  erred 
in  many  things,  touching  baptism,  so  did  he  himself  also 
err  as  well  as  they,  not  in  a  few :   And  it  is  as  free  for 
me,  or  any  body  else,  to  differ  from  him,  and  other  late 
writers,  as  for  them  to  differ  from  former  writers  ;  espe- 
cially if  that  be  true,  which  godly  and  learned  Chemnitius 
affirms  out  oi  Augustine,  that  these  things  are  not  tanquam 
articuli  Jidei,  a  quihus  diversum  sentire  piaculum  sit  ana- 
themate  dignum  [b). 

And  therefore,  reader,  I  acquaint  thee  beforehand, 
that  in  this  point  I  shall  speak  much  otherwise,  than  all 
former  or  later  writers  whatever,  that  I  have  met  with  : 
And  though  1  do  not,  without  some  fear  and  trembling, 

{a)  Zuin'^l.  libel,  de  Bjptis.  torn.  2.  f.  57. 

(6)   Chenmit.  Exatnen  Concil.  Triden.  1.  de  Bapt. 

3C 


386  TO  THE  READER. 

dissent  from  so  many  worthy  and  gracious  men,  that  have 
been,  and  are,  otherwise  minded ;  yet  it  is  the  less  grievous 
to  me,  because  I  differ  from  them,  (I  can  say  it  in  truth 
before  the  Lord)  not  our  of  any  desire  to  be  siuf^ular,  or 
for  any  worldly  or  carnal  end  whatever,  but  oniy  that  I 
might  cleave  to  the  clear  and  evident  word  of  God  alone; 
even  there,  where  I  see  the  very  faithful  to  leave  it ;  see- 
ing 1  am  rather  to  join  to  the  word,  without  men,  than  to 
men  without  the  word  ;  and  where  I  find  the  most  holy 
men  in  the  world,  and  the  word,  parting,  I  am  there  to 
leave  them,  and  to  go  along  with  the  word. 

And  so,  in  all  love  and  meekness,  I  tender  this  dis- 
course to  thee  ;  desiring,  that  if  thou  canst  not  at  present 
agree  to  what  is  therein  contained,  yet  that  thou  wouldst 
not  rashly  judge  and  reproach  it,  seeing,  through  God's 
goodness,  it  may  come  to  pass,  that  what  thou  knoxvest 
not  710W,  thou  mayest  know  afterwards. 

But  because  I  see  this  present  generation  so  rooted  and 
built  up  in  the  doctrines  of  men,  I  have  the  less  hope 
that  this  truth  will  prevail  with  them ;  and  therefore  I 
appeal  to  the  next  generation ;  which  will  be  farther  re- 
moved from  those  evils,  and  will  be  brought  nearer  to  the 
word  ;  but  especially  to  that  people,  whom  God  hath  and 
shall  form  by  his  Spirit  for  himself;  for  these  only  will  be 
able  to  make  just  and  righteous  judgment  in  ihis  matter, 
seeing  they  have  the  Anointing  to  be  their  teacher,  and 
the  Lamb  to  be  their  light. 


THE 

DOCTRINE 

OF 

B  A  P  r  I  S  M  s 


THE  Lord,  foreseeing  how  great  an  evil  it  would 
be  in  the  church,  to  leave  men,  either  to  their  own  or 
to  other  men's  opinions  and  judgment  in  the  things  of 
God,  did,  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  Gospel,  command 
and  bind  all  the  faithful  to  hear  Christ  alone,  saying  from 
heaven  (that  we  might  give  absolute  credit  to  his  voice) 
This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased^  hear 
him  :  And  the  more  the  faithful  have  kept  to  the  word  of 
Christ,  the  more  they  have  been  free  from  error ;  and  the 
more  they  have  left  this,  and  turned  aside  after  the  doc- 
trines of  men,  (though  men,  in  some  measure  faithful 
and  holy)  the  more  they  have  been  perverted  and  sedu- 
ced ;  insomuch  that  the  true  church  of  God,  and  the 
very  faithful  themselves,  have  received,  held  and  main- 
tained divers  errors,  and  false  doctrines,  and  opinions, 
even  for  many  ages  and  generations ;  yea,  and  have  not 
been  altogether  free  from  some,  from  the  very  apostles 
times  ;  And  because  many  or  most  godly  men  in  former 
ages,  held  such  and  such  opinions,  therefore  the  follow- 
ing ages  have  taken  them  upon  trust  from  them,  and  have 
entertained  them  as  sure  and  certain,  though  not  at  all 
consulting,  in  those  points,  with  the  great  doctor  and 
apostle  of  the  New  'J'estament,  Jesus  Christ.  And  thus 
have  the  very  elect  themselves  been  drawn  into  much  er- 


388  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

ror,  though  they  have  still  had  Christ  for  their  founda- 
tion, and  were  built  on  him  so  firmly  by  faith,  that  the 
gates  of  hell  could  not  prevail  against  them. 

Now  to  free  the  faithful  from  the  former  mistake,  (and 
consequently  from  all  error)  there  is  no  other  way  than 
this  wholly  to  forsake  the  doctrines  of  men,  and  to  lay 
by  all  those  opinions  that  we  have  sucked  in  from  our 
very  cradles,  and  which  are  now  become  even  a  natural 
religion  to  us ;  I  say,  utterly  to  lay  by,  and  wholly  to 
forget  all  these  things,  and  to  come  immediately  to  the 
pure  and  unerring  word  of  God,  and  to  the  voice  of  Jesus 
Christ  himself  by  his  Spirit,  wherein  all  things  are  true, 
sincere  and  perfect ;  and  not  to  bring  hearts  to  the  word, 
that  are  prepossessed  with  doctrines  and  opinions  learned 
of  men ;  but  to  come  thither  with  hearts  and  con- 
sciences free  and  unengaged,  and  in  all  meekness,  up- 
rightness, and  simplicity  of  heart,  to  hear  what  Jesus 
Christ,  the  faithful  and  true  witness,  will  say  to  his  Spirit, 
which  also  is  the  Spirit  of  truth ;  and  to  receive  and  be- 
lieve that  alone,  though  never  so  differing  from  the  opi- 
nions and  doctrines  of  this  present  age,  as  well  as  of  the 
former,  though  perhaps  the  whole  nation  would  be  of- 
fended with  it. 

And  this  is  the  course  that  I  have  observed,  to  come 
to  some  clear  and  certain  knowledge  in  the  doctrine  of 
Baptisms  :  for  having  read  much,  and  discoursed  with 
many,  touching  this  point,  and  having  seriously  consi- 
dered what  they  say,  as  one  that  searched  after  the  truth, 
for  itself  only,  and  for  the  satisfaction  of  my  own  soul; 
I  do  profcbs,  I  could  scarcely  find  any  thing  spoken,  for 
my  spirit  boldly  and  safely  to  lean  on,  perceiving  most  of 
what  they  said,  to  be  but  the  apprehensions  and  thoughts 
of  men ;  and  that  they  spake  very  much  by  conjecture, 
and  at  uncertainty  in  this  matter;  and  thereupon  I  re- 
solved, wholly  to  withdraw  from  such  discourse,  and 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  389 

to  lay  down  whatever  opinions  I  had  before  entertain- 
ed touching  this  point,  and  to  come  to  the  plain  and  ma- 
nifest scriptures,  and  from  thence  (after  much  seeking 
God)  to  icarn  wlicitever  the  Lord  should  please  to  teach 
me;  choosing  radier,  to  bui!<J  on  the  cl'jai'  word,  though 
alone,  than  on  any  uncertain  inferences,  and  blind  con- 
jectures of  men,  though  embraced  and  magnified  by  all 
the  world. 

Now  in  this  inquiry  from  the  word,  I  met  with  that 
place  in  Ileb.  vi.  2.  where  the  apostle,  speaking  of  some 
of  the  first,  and  initial  points  of  the  Christian  religion, 
names  y,cc-!7-j! v^-.Z^  AiSay^n,  the  doctrine  of  Baptisms  :  whence 
I  perceived,  that  in  the  primitive  church,  they  had  the 
doctrine  of  Baptisms  in  the  plural  number,  and  therefore 
did  apply  myself  to  search  from  the  w^ord,  what  these  Bap- 
tisms might  be ;  and  so  met  with  the  baptist's  own  doc- 
trine touching  Baptisms,  mentioned  Matt.  iii.  Mark  u 
Luke  iii.  and  John  i.  for  all  the  evangelists  make  mention 
of  this,  it  being  a  matter  of  so  great  concernment,  and 
Luke  makes  mention  of  the  ground  of  this  doctrine  of 
the  baptist,  chap.  iii.  15.  As  the  people  were  m  expecta- 
tion^ (saith  he)  and  all  men  inusediii  their  hearts  ofJohn^ 
whether  he  were  the  Christ  or  not :  John  ansrvered,  sayings 
&:c.  The  people,  it  seems,  had  great  and  high  thoughts 
of  Johiy  because  he  was  the  son  of  the  high  priest,  con- 
ceived after  an  extraordinary  manner,  his  parents  being 
both  well  stricken  in  age,  and  past  children  by  the  course 
of  nature :  and  then  the  manner  of  his  life  was  strange, 
for  he  lived  in  the  wilderness,  out  of  the  ordinary  con- 
verse of  the  world  ;  and  his  apparel  and  diet  were  unu- 
sual, being  raiment  of  camels  hair,  and  a  leathern  girdle 
about  his  loins,  and  his  meat,  locusts  and  wild  honey  ;  but 
especially  his  ministry  was  mighty,  being  in  the  spirit 
and  power  of  Elias  ;  and  his  baptism,  new  and  famous  ; 
so  that  all  the  people  stood  in  great  expectation  of  some 


390  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

work  or  event  from  Him,  that  should  manifest  him  to  be 
the  Christ.  Wherefore  John^  to  take  them  off  from  that 
gross  and  dangerous  mistake,  plainly  told  them  all,  and 
that  openly,  that  hervas  not  the  Christy  but  that  there  was 
a  great  deal  of  difference  between  himself  and  the  Messias, 
and  that  both  in  regard  of  his  person  and  office. 

First  for  his  office.  For  he  begins  to  shew  the  differ- 
ence from  thence,  because  the  newness  of  his  baptism 
was  the  occasion  of  the  peoples'  conceiving  that  he  was 
the  Messias  ;  whereupon  he  vilifies  hib  own  baptism  in 
respect  of  Christ's ;  saying,  /  indeed  baptize  you  with 
water;  that  is,  my  baptism  is  but  water-baptism,  ihat 
washes  the  body  only  \t'ith  a  corporeal  element ;  but  one 
mightier  than  /,  comes  ;  for  I  am  but  a  creature.  He  the 
power  oj  God ;  I  but  a  servant,  He  the  Lord  of  all;  and 
one  so  infinitely  excellent  above  all  that  I  am,  that  the 
latchet  of  his  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose;  that  is,  I  am 
unworthy  to  perform  the  meanest  and  lowest  office  for 
Him.  And  having  thus  first  spoken  meanly  of  his  own 
baptism,  and  then  magnified  Christ's  person  above  his  own, 
now  he  proceeds  also  to  magnify  Christ's  baptism  above 
his  own :  He  (saith  he)  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit^ and  with  f  re  ;  that  is,  I  that  am  a  servant,  do  baptize 
with  water  j  but  he  that  is  the  Son,  baptizes  with  the  Spi- 
rit ;  my  baptism  washes  but  the  body  from  the  filth  of 
the  flesh,  but  his,  the  soul  from  the  filth  of  sin  ;  so  that, 
by  how  much  the  spirit  excels  water,  and  God  the  crea- 
ture, so  much  his  baptism  transcends  mine. 

Now,  hence  I  gather  clearly,  even  from  the  baptist's 
own  mouth,  that  John's  baptism  and  Christ's  were  dis- 
tinct baptisms,  the  one  water- baptism,  the  other  fire-bap- 
tism :  And  though  our  late  writers  have,  and  do  affirm, 
that  John^s  baptism  and  Christ's  make  up  but  one  entire 
baptism,  yet  the  ancient  christians  generally  apprehend- 
ed them  to  be  distinct ;  one  whereof  saith,  lUud  mani- 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  391 

Jestumest,  alium  fuisse  Johannis  Baptismiimy  aliiiyn  Chris- 
ti:*  And  I  could  produce  many  more  testimonies  be- 
sides, but  it  is  not  my  meaning  to  entangle  any  body 
with  the  authorities  of  men  ;  and  therefore  I  shall  make 
it  plain  by  clear  scriptures,  and  evidences  from  them,  that 
John's  baptism  and  Christ's  are  distinct. 

1.  John's  baptism  and  Christ's  are  distinct  in  their 
appellations  in  scripture ;  for  John's  baptism  was  still  so 
called,  even  when  the  Apostles  used  it ;  and  it  was  not 
called  by  their  names  who  administered  it,  but  was  still 
called  Johi's  baptism  :  Yea,  after  Christ's  baptism  came 
in,  Johi's  still  retained  its  name,  as  being  distinct  from 
it;  and  therefore,  Acts  xviii.  24,  25,  it  is  said,  Apollos 
taught  diUgently  the  things  of  the  Ijord^  knowing  only  the 
baptism  of  John. 

2.  The  scripture  saith,  that  Christ's  baptism  was  to 
follow  JohCst  and  did  not  accompany  it  at  the  same  time  : 
for  in  Matt.  iii.  John  saith,  I  do  baptize  you  with  water^ 
but  he  that  comes  after  me,  i.  e.  in  order  of  time,  he  shall 
baptize  you:  And  m  Luke  \\\.  I  have  baptized you^  but 
he  shall  baptize  you  ;  which  places  plainly  declare,  that 
Christ's  baptism  did  not  go  along  with  John''Sy  but  was 
to  follow  it ;  and  that  he  was  to  baptize  with  the  Spirit, 
after /oAw'*  water- baptism  had  had  its  full  course,  to  wit, 
when  he  was  risen  from  the  dead,  and  ascended  into 
heaven.  And  therefore  Christ,  after  he  was  risen  from 
the  dead,  and  immediately  before  he  was  to  ascend  into 
heaven  ;  though  his  disciples  had  used  water-baptism,  or 
John^s  baptism,  for  above  three  years;  yet  affirms  that  that 
which  John  had  said  of  Him,  touching  his  baptizing  with 
the  Spirit,  was  not  yet  fulfilled,  but  was  shortly  to  be  fulfil- 
led, as  appears.  Acts  i.  4, 5.  Christ  j  being  assembled  with  the 
Apostles,  commanded  them  that  they  should  not    epartfrom 

*  Jug.  contr.  liter.  Petil.  2.  r.  o7. 


392  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

Jerusalem^  but  wait  for  the  promise  of  the  Father  ;  whichy 
saith  he^  you  have  heardofme;for  John  truly  baptizedwith 
water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Spirit,  not  many 
days  hence  ;  and  this  was  fulfilleri  at  the  day  of  Pentecost ; 
whence  it  is  evident,  that  Christ's  baptism  did  iiot  go  along 
with  John's,  and  make  tiiat  up  one  entire  baptism  with 
itself,  seeing  it  followed,  almost  tour  years  after ;  and  there- 
fore Johi's  baptism  and  Christ's  must  needs  be  distinct. 

3.  It  is  evident,  that  Christ's  baptism  and  Johns''  were 
distinct,  inasmuch  as  the  baptism  of  Christ  was  necessary 
for  those  very  persons,  who  had  before  been  baptized  with 
the  baptism  o{  John  ;  whereas,  if  Johi's  baptism  had  been 
one  and  the  same  with  Christ's,  that  only  had  been  suffi- 
cient ;  but  now,  those  whom  John  had  baptized  with 
water,  Christ  was  to  baptize  again  with  the  Spirit,  as  in 
that  place  before  mentioned  ;  /  have  baptized  you  with 
•water,  but  one  comes  after  me,  who  shall  baptize  you  with 
the  Spirit,  even  you,  whom  I  have  before  baptized  with 
water :  And  this  was  not  a  second  baptism,  but  the  hrst 
baptism  of  the  New-Testament,  Johi's  baptism  being 
more  legal  than  evangelical;  and  evangelical  only  in  so 
much  as  it  pointed  out  this  baptism  of  Christ,  at  hand. 

Again,  the  Baptist  himself  saith,  /  have  need  to  be  bap- 
tized of  thee  ;  so  that  the  very  author,  or  chief  minister  of 
water-baptism,  stood  in  need  of  Spirit-baptism  himself: 
jPaw/also,  Acts  xix.  when  he  found  certain  disciples  bap- 
tized only  with  the  baptism  of  John,  he  baptized  them 
again  in  the  name  of  Christ,  because  they  had  not  re- 
ceived the  Spirit ;  and  this  baptism  into  the  name  of 
Christ,  was  not  the  repeating  of  any  water,  but  merely 
the  gift  of  the  Spirit ;  for  Paul  preached  to  them  largely 
the  doctrine  of  faith  in  Christ,  (for  the  text  relates  but 
the  abstract  of  the  thing)  and  laid  his  hands  on  them, 
and  through  his  ministry  the  holy  Spirit  came  upon  them  ; 
and  this  was  Christ's  baptism  indeed,  and  no  renewing  of 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  393 

Water  at  all,  as  the  anabaptists  would  fain  inforce  from 
this  place. 

By  these  things  it  is  evident  that  Christ's  baptism  and 
John's  are  distinct ;  and  therefore,  as  what  God  hath 
joined,  no  man  ought  to  put  asunder ;  so  what  God  hath 
put  asunder,  no  man  ought  to  join  ;  as  if  the  baptism  of 
Christ  were  insufficient  and  incomplete,  except  we  should 
add  to  it  the  baptism  of  John  ;  which  is  exceedingly  to 
eclipse  the  brightness  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  to  draw  a 
veil  over  the  greatest  glory  of  the  New  Testament,  which 
is  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit. 

Objection,  If  the  ordinary  objection  shall  be  offered 
against  this,  to  wit,  that  John's  doctrine  was  the  same  with 
Christ's,  and  therefore  his  baptism  was  the  same  with  his. 

I  answer.  It  is  most  true  that  John  did  preach  Christ 
clearly,  both  in  regard  of  his  person  and  offices;  but  this 
was  not  his  proper  work  as  he  was  the  baptist,  but  inso- 
much as  he  preached  Christ  in  the  Spirit,  he  belonged  to 
the  kingdom  of  Christ,  which  is  spiritual;  as  oiso  Abrahanif 
Moses,  David,  Isaiah,  and  all  the  prophets,  did  in  the 
same  sense :  But  so  far  forth  as  he  preached  the  doctrine 
and  administered  the  baptism,  of  repentance,  and  both 
these  not  really  and  spiritually,  but  only  in  the  letter  and 
sign,  so  far  he  belonged  to  the  Old  Testament  rather  than 
to  the  New ;  and  here  was  John  in  his  proper  office.  I  say, 
so  far  as  Joh7i  preached  Christ  spiritually,  he  did  not  that 
as  John  the  Baptist,  but  as  John  a  believer :  And  so  the 
same  John,  in  regard  of  his  baptist's  office,  belonged  to  the 
Old  Testament ;  but  according  to  the  revelation  which 
he  had  from  the  Father,  touching  Christ,  and  his  faith  in 
him,  and  confession  of  him,  he  belonged  to  the  New, 
And  except  we  learn  thus  to  distinguish  of  Johi's  doc- 
trine, to  wit,  what  he  preached  as  baptist,  and  in  his  pro- 
per office,  and  what  as  a  believer,  who  had  the  revelation 
of  the  Father,  we  shall  never  understand  his  baptism 

3D 


394  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

aright :  For  Jo/m^s  baptism  was  the  seal  of  his  Old  Tes- 
tament doctrine,  and  not  of  his  New ;  or  of  his  own  im- 
mediate ministry,  and  not  of  Christ's  :  at  the  highest, 
Jo/in^s  ministry  and  baptism  pointed  out  Christ's,  but  nei- 
ther of  them  were  the  same  with  Christ's. 

And  thus  having  cleared  from  the  word,  that  John's 
baptism  is  distinct  from  Christ's,  I  shall  proceed  to  speak 
of  each  of  these  baptisms  apart  by  themselves,  and  to  hold 
forth  to  others,  what  myself  have  learned,  touching  them, 
from  the  same  word. 

And  first,  1  begin  with  Johti's  baptism,  as  being  the 
first  in  order  of  time. 

Now  the  baptism  of  John  was  brought  in  besides  the 
rite  and  manner  of  the  law,  and  so  was  a  sign  of  a  great 
change  to  follow.  The  Jews^  indeed,  had  their  baptisms 
in  the  law ;  for  they  washed  their  members,  garments, 
vessels,  &:c.  and  by  this  they  were  cleansed  from  legal 
pollutions,  but  not  from  any  sin,  or  stain  that  did  cleave 
to  their  conscience :  But  John  was  the  author,  or  first 
minister  of  a  new  and  unwonted  baptism  ;  calling  all  men 
to  repentance  for  sin,  and  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ; 
and  awakening  them  to  confession  of  sin,  and  amendment 
of  life ;  and  also  pointing  out  one  to  come,  and  now  at 
hand;  who  should  do  all  these  things  for  them  indeed, 
which  neither  he  nor  his  baptism  could  do. 

Now  touching  Johi's  baptism,  I  shall  shew^, 

First,  the  honourableness  of  it  in  itself. 

And  secondly,  the  'weakness  and  imperfectness  of  it  in 
reference  of  Christ. 

And  thirdly,  the  continuance  and  duration  of  it. 

1.  For  tljc  honourableness  of  it  in  itself,  it  appears  in 
several  passages. 

1.  That  though  the  baptism  oiJohn^  in  itself,  were  more 
legal  than  evangelical,  yet  in  this  it  did  excel  all  tl  c 
former  legal  baptisms,  that  it  pointed  out  Christ's  bap- 
tism near  at  hand  ;  for  as  John  fiimself  was  greater  than 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  395 

all  the  former  prophets,  because  he  pointed  out  with  his 
finger,  Clirist,  the  true  and  great  prophet  of  the  church ; 
so  his  baptism  was  more  excellent  than  all  the  former  bap- 
tisms, because  it  pointed  out  Christ's  great  and  glorious 
baptism  now  at  hand  :  as  he  saith,  /  baptize  with  water^ 
and  he  that  comes  after  me  shall  baptize  with  the  Spirit, 

2.  John's  baptism  was  from  heaven,  and  not  from  men  ; 
it  had  its  institution  from  God,  and  was  not  an  ordinance 
he  took  up  of  his  own  head ;  Luke  iii.  2.  it  is  said,  that 
at  the  beginning  of /o/j72'5  setting  forth  to  his  baptism  and 
ministry,  that  the  word  of  God  came  to  him  in  thexvilderness; 
that  is,  he  was  inspired,  instructed  and  taught  by  a  word 
from  God  himself,  touching  his  ministry,  baptism,  and 
the  discovery  of  Christ  he  was  to  make ;  and  John  i.  6. 
There  ruas  a  man  sent  from  God,  whose  name  was  John;  and 
ver  43  He  that  sent  me  to  baptize  with  water,  saidunto  me. 
He  went  not  of  his  own  accord,  but  God  sent  liim  to  bap- 
tize ;  so  that  as  God  was  the  author  of  those  inferior  bap- 
tisms o{  Aloses^  so  of  this  more  high  and  excellent  baptism 
oiJohii:  and  hereupon  the  publicans,  that  received /o/z^z'^ 
baptism,  are  said  to  justify  God;  and  the  Pharisees  and 
lawyers  that  refused  it,  to  reject  against  themselves,  that 
is,  to  their  own  harm,  the  counsel  of  God,  Luke  vii.  29,  30. 

3.  Christ  himself,  who  was  born  under  the  law,  and 
subject  to  the  law,  submitted  himself  also  to  the  baptism 
oi  John,  as'the  last  and  hveliest  ceremony  :  Matt.  iii.  13. 
Then  cometh  Jesus  from  Galilee  to  Jordan^  to  be  baptized  of 
him  ;  and  so  Christ,  who  had  submitted  himself  to  the  cir- 
cumcision of  Moses,  submitted  himself  also  to  the  baptism 
of  John :  and  as  he  submitted  himself  to  all  the  cere- 
monies of  Moses  ;  not  for  his  own  sake,  but  for  ours;  so 
also  tc  the  baptism  of  John.  For,  seeing  Christ  was  free 
from  sin,  he  stood  in  no  need  of  repentance,  and  so  not 
of  that  baptism,  which  was  the  baptism  of  repentance  for 
the  remission  of  sin ;  but  there  the  head,  who  was  free 


396  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

from  sin,  was  baptized  for  the  body,  which  was  full  of 
sin,  that  he  might  fulfil  all  righteousness,  in  his  own  per- 
son. And  this  was  a  great  honour  to  the  baptism  of  John, 
that  Christ  (though  in  reference  to  our  flesh  more  than 
his  own)  submitted  himself  to  it. 

Thus  it  appears,  that  the  baptism  of  John  was  very- 
honourable,  and  of  high  account  in  its  time ;  so  that  the 
very  disciples  of  Christ  took  it  up,  and  Christ  himself  suf- 
fered them,  because  John's  baptism  was  the  sign  and  fore- 
runner of  his,  and  because  the  time  of  his  own  baptism 
wasaiot  yet  come ;  but  Christ  himself  used  it  not,  as  John 
witnesses  chap,  iv.  2.  saying,  Jesus  himself  baptized  not, 
hut  his  disciples  ;  to  wit,  with  John's  baptism,  which  was 
water-baptism.  For  it  became  not  the  Son  of  God  to 
baptize  with  a  creature ;  nor  the  Lord  of  all  to  use  the 
baptism  of  a  servant. 

And  thus  having  shewed  how  honourable  John's  bap- 
tism was  in  itself  (wherein  I  conceive  I  have  not  done 
him,  though  a  servant,  the  least  prejudice ;  but  have  fully 
attributed  to  his  office,  whatever  the  word,  or  he  himself, 
a  messenger  of  God,  attributes  to  it)  I  shall  now  proceed 
to  shew,  that  the  baptism  of /o^«,  how  honourable  and 
excellent  soever,  is  yet  far  beneath  and  below  Christ's ; 
yea,  and  most  weak  and  imperfect,  in  comparison  of  his. 

For  first,  Johii's  baptism  was  with  a  creature,  with  the 
element  of  water  ;  for  the  creature  could  baptize  but  with 
the  creature,  that  is,  Johi  with  water ;  and  so  this  was  far 
beneath  the  baptism  of  Christ,  which  was  the  work  of 
God  by  God,  the  work  of  the  Father  by  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Son  by  the  Spirit. 

2.  John^s  baptism  was  ^antutn  exterius  lavacrum,  but 
outward,  and  reached  the  outward  man  only ;  the  bap- 
tism  of  water  reached  but  the  body,  and  it  could  pierce 
no  deeper ;  and  after  all  the  washing  of  the  body  with 
water,  the  soul  still  remained  as  full  of  filth,  sin  and  cor. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  397 

ruption,  as  ever ;  and  so  it  was  far  beneath  Christ's,  which 
reaches  the  soul :  the  baptism  olJohn  was  the  baptism  of 
bodies,  but  the  baptism  of  Christ,  the  baptism  of  souls ; 
and  only  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  reaches  the  Spirit,  and 
attains  to  thd*soul,  conscience,  and  inner-man,  to  purge 
and  purify  them. 

3.  The  baptism  oiJohn  was  but  a  sign,  and  ceremony, 
though  it  had  more  life  and  light  in  it  than  any  of  the 
signs  of  the  law,  as  being  nearer  to  Christ,  and  more 
newly  revived  by  God ;  and  so,  though  useful  in  its  sea- 
son, yet  the  efficacy  of  it  (after  the  manner  of  all  signs) 
was  but  weak. 

For  first,  it  did  not  give  the  Spirit,  not  one  drop  of  the 
Spirit ;  yea,  some  who  were  baptized  with  John's  baptism 
did  not  know  the  way  of  the  Lord  perfectly  ;  that  is,  had 
no  certain  knowledge  of  Christ,  the  only  way  to  God,  as 
Apollosj  Acts  xviii.  yea,  some  of  them  did  not  so  much  as 
know  whether  there  were  any  Holy  Ghost  or  notj  as  those 
twelve  disciples.  Acts  xix.  much  less  had  received  the 
Spirit. 

Secondly,  Neither  did  it  give  repentance  and  remission 
of  sin ;  (for  what  was  the  plunging  of  a  man  in  cold  water, 
towards  repentance  and  remission  of  sin  ?)  but  these  were 
the  works  of  Christ's  own  baptism,  which  is  the  baptism 
of  the  Spirit :  for  no  man  can  repent  of  sin,  but  by  the 
presence  of  the  righteousness  of  God  in  his  heart,  which  is 
the  work  of  that  Spirit,  which  is  given  in  Christ's  bap- 
tism :  neither  can  any  remit  sin,  but  God  ;  our  sins  are 
never  forgiven  by  God,  till  God  dwells  in  us  through 
Jesus  Clirist,  by  the  work  of  the  Spirit ;  so  that  repen- 
tance was  given,  and  sin  forgiven,  but  in  hope  only,  in 
John's  baptism ;  but  really  and  truly  in  Christ's,  which 
was  the  real  baptism  of  repentance  and  remission  of  sins. 

Thirdly,  Neither  did  it  give  entrance  into  the  kingdom 
of  God ;  for  the  kingdom  of  God  is  a  spiritual  kingdom, 
and  no  earthly  or  corporal  thing  can  give  entrance  into 


398  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

it :  The  baptism  in  the  water  of  Jordan  could  deliver  no 
man  up  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  the  baptism  in 
that  river  that  makes  glad  the  city  God,  Psal.  xlvi.  4.  in 
that  river  clear  as  crystal,  that  proceeds  from  the  throne  of 
God  and  of  the  Lamb,  which  is  the  Spirit;  >thich  delivers 
up  all  that  partake  of  it,  first,  into  the  kingdom  of  the 
Son,  and  after,  through  that,  into  the  kingdom  of  the 
Father.  The  baptism  o(John,  left  men  in  that  old  world 
wherein  it  found  them  ;  but  the  baptism  of  Christ,  delivers 
them  up  into  the  new  world,  or  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Now,  in  all  these  respects  it  appears  that  John^s  bap^ 
tism  did  not  do  the  work  of  the  baptism  of  the  New-Tes- 
tament ;  for  then  that  only  had  been  sufficient,  and  there 
had  been  no  need  of  Christ's  to  come. 

And  thus  you  see  that  the  baptism  of  John,  as  it  is 
distinct  from  Christ's,  so  it  is  far  inferior  to  his.  And 
therefore,  great  hath  been  the  mistake  of  many,  for  several 
ages,  who  have  made  John''s  baptism  equal  to  Christ's;  for 
what  is  this,  but  to  make  the  servant  equal  to  the  Lord, 
and  to  set  down  the  creature  in  the  throne  of  the  only  be- 
gotten of  the  Father?  Yea,  and  it  is  quite  perverting  of 
Johti's  office ;  for  John  was  to  be  a  burning  and  a  shining 
light,  to  usher  in  Christ  the  true  hght :  He  was  to  be  as 
the  morning-star,  to  usher  in  Christ  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness ;  and  was  not  to  be  so  much  clouds  and  darkness  to 
obscure  him  :  He  was  but  to  point  out  Christ,  and  depart 
again,  and  not  to  sit  in  equal  glory  with  him,  on  his 
throne  in  the  New  Testament.  John  said,  he  was  not 
worthy  to  bear  his  shoes  ;  and  therefor^^i^ey  do  not  well, 
who  have  prepared  an  equal  crown  for  him  with  Christ, 
who  is  Kmg  of  Icings,  and  Lord  of  lords » 

Wherefore  we  must  take  great  heed  that  we  do  not  so 
magnify  John''s  office,  as  to  intrench  on  Christ's,  and  to 
make  the  Son,  out  of  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  to  take  up 
the  baptism  oi  John,  a  servant,  but  to  administer  one  en- 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  399 

tirely  his  own ;  surely  this  would  not  have  been  suitable 
to  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God. 

The  third  thing  I  propound  to  speak  to,  touching  John* s 
baptism,  is  the  time  of  its  duration  or  continuance,  and 
that  was  but  very  short ;  for  John^s  baptism,  as  all  the 
ceremonies  of  3foses,  was  but  for  a  time ;  yea,  this  being 
nearer  the  truth  and  substance  than  they,  was  of  less  du- 
ration ;  as  the  morning  star,  though  brighter  than  the  rest 
of  those  heavenly  lights,  shines  a  shorter  time  than  they, 
because  the  hasty  appearance  of  the  sun  swallows  it  up. 
And  so  John's  baptism  was  of  great  use,  a  little  before 
Christ's  manifestation  to  Israel,  and  continued  till  the 
time  of  his  ascension  ;  and  then,  when  Christ's  baptism 
began,  the  shadow  was  to  give  way  to  the  substance,  and 
the  sign  to  the  truth,  and  the  letter  to  the  Spirit,  and  the 
servant  to  the  Son  :  So  that  Christ's  baptism  put  an  end  to 
John's  water- baptism,  and  Spirit-baptism  to  creature-bap- 
tism. For  as  all  the  prophets  were  until  John,  so  John  was 
until  Christ ;  and  John  must  no  more  exceed  his  bounds, 
than  Moses  and  the  prophets  theirs  ;  but  as  the  prophets 
gave  up  to  John,  so  John  must  give  up  to  Christ.  John's 
temporary  ministry  had  a  temporary  baptism ;  but  the 
everlasting  gospel,  (which  is,  that  word  in  our  flesh)  hath 
an-everlasting  baptism,  which  is  the  pouring  out  of  the 
Spirit,  So  then,  John  being  a  servant  and  forerunner  of 
Christ,  Christ  was  not  to  take  up  his  baptism,  hut  John  was 
to  resign  up  his  baptism  to  Christ;  yea,  and  as  a  servant,  to 
deliver  up  all  things  into  his  hands,  as  heir  and  Lord :  And 
so  John^s  water-baptism  was  to  last  but  till  Christ's  lire- 
baptism  should  come  in,  and  then  the  fire  should  lick  up 
the  water;  and  as  Spirit- baptism  should  increase, --water- 
baptism  should  decrease.  So  that  John^s  baptism,  or  wa- 
ter-baptism (which  is  all  one)  belongs  not  to  Christ's  king- 
dom, which  is  a  kingdom  not  of  the  letter,  but  of  the 
Spirit ;  not  of  signs  and  shadows,  but  of  the  truth :  And 
therefore  we  leave  it  where  we  found  it,  even  without 


400  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

the  bounds  and  reach  of  Christ's  kingdom  :  for  JohrCs 
office  and  baptism  reached  unto  Christ's  kingdom,  but 
hath  no  place  in  it ;  and  to  bring  signs  and  ceremonies 
into  the  kingdom  of  truth,  is  (if  rightly  understood)  to 
act  against  Christ  glorified. 

Objection.  But  some  will  say.  This  is  strange  indeed, 
that  water-baptism  should  have  no  place  in  the  kingdom 
of  Christ ;  and  therefore  pray  stay  a  little,  for  we  have 
many  things  to  object  against  it. 

Objection,  Why,  this  would  rob  us  of  our  Christianity. 

I  answer.  No :  For  it  is  not  water,  but  Spirit-baptism 
that  makes  us  christians ;  and  water-baptism  hath  been  an 
unlawful  blending  or  mixing  of  the  church  and  world  to- 
gether ;  so  that  hitherto  they  could  not  be  well  distin- 
guished from  each  other,  to  the  great  prejudice  of  the  con- 
gregation of  Christ. 

Objection  2.  But  have  so  many  ages  erred,  that  have 
used  water-baptism  ? 

Answer.  For  the  errors  of  former  ages,  and  their  great 
mistakes  in  many  of  the  truths  of  God,  I  have  nothing 
to  say,  but  that  of  the  Apostle,  How  unsearchable  are  his 
judgments^  and  his  ways  past  finding  out! 

Objection  3.  But  you  are  the  first  man,  for  ought  wc 
know,  that  ever  opposed  it. 

Aiiswer.  One  single  mean  man  with  the  word,  may  very 
justly  and  lawfully  contradict  the  whole  world  without  it ; 
truth  is  not  to  be  judged  by  multitudes,  or  an  unity,  but 
by  the  word. 

Objection  4.  But  Christ  himself  was  baptized  with  wa- 
ter, and  surely  that  perpetuates  it  in  the  church. 

Answer  Christ's  being  baptized  with  water  undtx  John, 
no  more  perpetuates  water-baptism  in  the  christian  church 
than  his  being  circumcised  under  Moses,  perpetuates  cir- 
cumcision in  the  christian  church,  or  his  submitting  to 
other  Jl/o^fl?'ca/ ceremonies  perpetuates  them;  Christ  brings 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  401 

no  temporal  or  carnal  thing  into  his  everlasting  and  spi- 
ritual kingdom,  though  himself  submitted  to  them  un- 
der their  several  dispensations,  in  the  season  of  them. 

Objection  5.  But  Christ  justifies  and  commands  wa- 
ter-baptism, in  John  iii.  Except  a  man  be  born  ofivater^ 
yc  and  Matt,  xxviii.   Teach  and  baptize. 

Answer.  1  confess  these  are  places  that  many  ha\'e  mis- 
taken, to  justify  the  practice  of  water  baptism;  but  I  shall 
shew  you,  that  they  do  indeed  misunderstand  them.  For 
that  first  place,  John  iii.  5.  Except  a  man  be  born  ex,  uJ'aTOf ' 
y.xi  TTvcvixccToc,  oy  water,  and  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God:  1  confess  many  of  the  ancients 
have,  by  water  here  mentioned,  understood  the  materi- 
al water;  and  have  interpreted  the  text  to  imply  exter- 
nal baptism,  which  was  John's  only;  and  hereupon  di- 
vers of  them  have  exceedingly  magnified  water,  and  as- 
cribed it  to  the  washing  of  souls,  and  the  regeneration 
of  christians  in  some  measure:  they  not  considering,  in 
the  mean  time,  what  Christ  saith  in  the  verj-  next  verse, 
That  which  is  born  oj  the  flesh  is  Jlesh,  and  that  which 
is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  Spirit;  by  which  they  might  have 
learned,  that  outward  and  corporeal  water  can  do  nothing 
but  outward  and  coq^oreal  things;  and  can  contribute  no- 
thing to  the  cleansing  of  souls  and  consciences  from  sin. 

So  that  this  place  cannot  be  understood  of  corporeal 
water;  and  I  could  produce  the  testimonies  of  many  god- 
ly men  of  good  note  to  this  purpose,  but  do  forbear,  be- 
cause I  would  not  have  our  faith  built  upon  the  authori- 
ties of  men;  but  the  thing  is  evident  from  the  text  it- 
self; for  it  saith.  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water,  whicli 
shews  the  water  he  speaks  of,  must  be  such,  as  is  able  to 
give  a  new  birth,  and  to  make  a  man  a  new,  that  is,  spiri. 
tual,  holy,  heavenly  creature;  and  no  water  can  do  this, 
but  the  Spirit;  and  therefore  Christ  adds  to  water,  tlie 
Spirit,  by  way  of  explication;  as  if  he  had  said,  "  No  man 


402  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

can  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  except  he  be  born 
again  of  water:  but  the  water  I  speak  of,  is  not  material  wa- 
ter, but  the  Spirit,  which  is  able  to  produce  in  us  a  hea- 
venly nature,  through  which  only  we  can  have  entrance 
into  a  heavenly  kingdom,  seeing  Jlesh  and  blood  cannot  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  God;''''  so  that  the  water  Christ  means 
in  this  place,  is  the  Spirit;  and  many  other  places  give  wit- 
ness to  this,  John  iv.  10.  If  thou  didst  know  -who  it  is  that 
saith  to  thee,  give  me  to  drinks  thou  wonldst  have  asked  of 
him,  and  he  would  have  given  thee  living  water:  And  ver. 
13,  14.  Jesus  saith  unto  her ,  TFhosoever  drinks  of  this  xva- 
ter  (meaning  the  water  of  the  well,  called  Jacob'' svjqW) 
shall  thirst  again;  but  whosoever  shall  drink  of  the  xvater 
that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  never  thirst;  but  the  water  that 
I  shall  give  him,  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water,  spring- 
ing up  unto  everlasting  life:  And  John  vii.  37,  38.  Jesus 
stood  and  aried,  saying.  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
unto  me  and  drink:  he  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  scrip- 
ture hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living 
water;  but  this  spake  he  of  the  Spirity  which  they  that 
believe  on  him  should  receive. 

Now  by  water  in  all  these  places,  is  not  meant  mate- 
rial water,  but  the  Spirit,  as  Christ  himself  explicates; 
and  surely  his  testimony  alone  is  sufficient. 

But  again,  if  in  this  place.  Except  a  man  be  born  of 
water  and  the  Spirit,  you  v/ill  needs  understand  material 
water,  why  then,  upon  the  same  ground,  you  must  needs 
understand  that  place  in  Matthew,  of  material  fire,  where 
it  is  said.  Matt.  iii.  11.  He  shall  baptize  you  xvith  the 
holy  Spirit,  and  w'lth  fire;  which  is  absurd,  and  contra- 
ry to  reason:  But  water  and  fire,  in  each  place,  added 
to  the  Spirit,  shew  only  the  efficacy  of  the  Spirit;  and  so 
you  may  as  well  bring  in  the  use  of  material  fire  in  bap- 
tism, from  the  text  in  Matthew,  as  of  material  water, 
from  the  text  in  John. 

So  that  this  place  in  John  proves  no  authority  of  Christj 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  403 

for  water  baptism  in  his  kingdom,  which  is  the  church 
of  the  New-Testament. 

Now  the  other  place,  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  Go  ye  and 
teach  all  nations^  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  is  also  of 
as  little  force  as  the  former  to  prove  water- baptism  to 
be  an  institution  of  Christ.  Indeed  I  find,  that  wher- 
ever men  have  met  with  the  word  baptism  or  baptize  in 
the  scripture,  presently  their  thoughts  have  descended  to 
material  water ;  they  not  so  well  considering  or  under- 
standing that  water  wliich  is  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  only 
water  that  performs  all  the  baptism  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Now  for  that  place,  Go  teach  alinations,  baptizing  the?n  ; 
they  understand  it  thus,  teach  them,  and  baptize  them 
with  material  water,  using  this  form  of  words,  I  baptize 
thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father;  he.  but  herein  they  err 
from  the  mind  of  Christ :  for  by  these  words  Christ 
leads  his  disciples  from  Johi's  baptism  to  his  own  ;  as  if 
he  had  said,  "  John  indeed  baptized  with  water,  and  ye 
have  hitherto  used  his  baptism  ;  but  I  shall  now  shortly 
bapitze  you  with  my  own  baptism  of  the  Spirit;  and 
from  that  time  I  would  have  you  to  teach  all  nations, 
and  by  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  not  baptize  them, 
or  dip  them  in  cold  water,  (as  John  did  in  his  own  bap- 
tism, and  you  in  his)  but  baptize  them,  or  dip  them  in- 
to the  nam.e  of  God  the  Father,  Son  and  Spirit ;  and 
note,  that  he  saith  not  here,  'BxTrrt^ovng  <34uTj<f  ivrm  ovojiaxti,  in 
the  name,  but  £<?  to  ovoi^u,  into  the  name  of  the  Father, 
&c.  and  by  the  name  of  God,  is  meant  the  power  and 
virtue  of  God,  or  God  himself:  as  Mark  xvi.  Christ 
saith.  In  my  name  they  shall  cast  out  devils,  that  is,  in 
my  power  and  virtue  ;  so  that  the  sense  lies  thus.  Teach 
the  nations  and  baptize  them  into  the  name,  ^c-  that  is,  by 
your  ministry,  which  shall  be  of  the  Spirit,  and  not  of  the 
letter,  you  shall  baptize  them,  or  dip  them,  or  interest 
them  into  the  name  of  God,  who  is  the  Father,  Son,  and 


404.  I'HE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

Spirit,  as  he  hath  discovered  himself  in  his  last  and  most 
glorious  discovery  of  himself  in  the  gospel ;  you  shall, 
I  say,  dip  them  into  his  name,  or  sprinkle  his  name  upon 
them,  that  they  may  be  holy,  just,  true,  merciful,  righ- 
teous, good,  £s'c.  that  is,  your  ministry,  after  you  have 
received  the  Spirit,  shall  have  such  efficacy,  that  it  shall 
cloath  men  with  the  name  of  God,  and  transform  them 
into  his  very  nature. 

So  that  this  place  cannot  be  understood  of  water ; 
but  instead  of  baptizing  in  material  water,  as  John^  he 
tells  them,  they  should  baptize  into  the  name  of  God,  in 
such  sort,  that  they  that  were  before  sinful,  corrupt,  and 
evil  men,  should  now  be  taken  up  into  the  glory  of  the 
name  of  God.  Neither  can  this  place  be  understood  of 
a  form  of  words,  which  the  apostles  and  their  successors 
should  use  in  baptizing,  as  most  men  have  thought  and 
taught :  seeing  no  place  of  scripture  can  be  named, 
\vherein  the  apostles,  in  baptizing,  used  this  form  of 
words,  saying,  1  baptize  tliee  in  the  name  of  the  Father  ^ 
Son^  a?id  Spirit ;  which  they  had  undoubtedly  done,  if 
Christ  had  commanded  it,  as  an  absolute  form.  And  be- 
cause many  will  presently  be  ready  to  be  enraged  at 
this  assertion,  I  will  a  little  cool  their  heat  with  what 
Zuinglius  saith  of  this  place,  who  was  one  of  the  great- 
est enemies  to  the  Anuhaptists^  that  was  in  his  time ; 
Christus  Jesus,  saith  he,  baptismiJormula7n  qua  uteremur, 
his  verbis  non  i?istituit,  quemadmodum  theologi  hactenus 
falso  tradiderunt.  Zuing.  lib.  de  Bapt.  p.  66.  tom,  2 
Oper.  that  is,  "  Jesus  Christ  did  not,  in  these  words, 
institute  a  form  of  baptism,  which  we  should  use,  as  di- 
vines have  hitherto  falsely  taught :"  and  he  affirms  it 
upon  the  same  ground  I  have  mentioned  before. 

Again,  if  in  this  place.  Go,  teach  and  baptize,  be  meant 
water -bapt  ism,  /'r/z/Zdid  very  ill  observe  the  command  of 
Christ,  who  baptized  but  two  or  three  believing  families 
ut  the  most,  with  water- baptism,  and  yet  preached  the 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  405 

word  in  a  circuit  from  Jerusalem  to  lUyriciim.  Acts.  xv. 
19.  through  many  kingdoms,  countries,  villages,  people, 
but  I  say,  Paw/,  though  he  used  not  water-baptism,  yet 
did  punctually  ful^l  the  command  of  Christ,  and  did  teach 
and  baptize  them  into  the  name  of  God.  So  that  no  ques- 
tion, there  were  many  churches  planted  in  PauVs  time, 
who  beleived  in  Christ,  and  received  the  Spirit,  and 
walked  in  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  with 
one  another  in  the  Father  and  the  Son,  who  never  were 
washed  at  all  with  water-baptism  ;  for  Paul  knew  well, 
that  no  outward  thing  is  of  any  account  in  the  kingdom 
of  God  ;  and  that  as  circumcision  and  uncircumcision 
were  nothing,  so  neither  water-baptism  nor  the  want  of  it 
were  any  thing,  but  a  new  creature  is  all ;  and  if  there 
be  faith  and  the  Spirit,  they  are  sufficient  to  the  kingdom 
of  God,  without  any  outward  ceremonies  whatsoever. 

So  that  neither  of  these  two  places  prove  any  institu- 
tion of  water-baptism  of  Christ,  but  that  still  remains 
Johi's  baptism,  and  not  Christ's. 

Objection  6.  The  last,  and  that  which  seems  the 
strongest  objection,  is,  that  the  Apostles  practised  water- 
baptism,  not  only  before  Christ's  baptism  came  in,  but 
after;  and  this  is  most  evident  in  very  many  places  in 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 

.  I  answer.  True  indeed,  tlie  Apostles  did  practise  water- 
baptism,  but  not  from  Christ,  but  from  John^  whose  bap- 
tism  they  took  up;  and  an  outward  ceremony  of  honour 
and  account  is  not  easily  and  suddenly  laid  down ;  and 
hence  some  of  the  Apostles  used  circumcision,  and  that 
after  the  ascension  of  Christ ;  for  circumcision  was  an 
honourable  ceremony,  used  from  Abraham'' s Xmxt;  andso 
they  could  not  (no  not  in  the  time  of  the  New-Testament) 
suddenly  and  abruptly  leave  it  oft',  but  they  did  use  it  for 
a  time,  for  their  Siikes  who  were  weak;  well  knowing,  that 
the  circumcision  without  hands,  would  by  degrees  put  an 


406  'I'HE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

end  to  the  circumcision  made  with  hands.  For  ceremo- 
nies are  best  laid  down,  and  old  customs  best  laid  aside, 
by  the  efficacy  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  power  of  righteous- 
ness. And  so  in  like  manner  the  Apostles  used  the  bap- 
tism of  John^  or  water-baptism,  it  having  been  of  high 
account  in  the  dawning  of  the  day  of  the  gospel,  and  for 
the  present,  still  continuing  so;  but  they  knew,  that  Spirit 
or  lire -baptism,  would  by  degrees  consume  water- bap- 
tism, and  lick  up  all  the  drops  of  it;  for  so  John  himself 
intimates,  saying.  He  must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease; 
that  is,  the  truth  must  eat  out  the  ceremony,  and  the 
substance  the  sign,  and  the  more  his  ministry  and  bap- 
tism comes  in,  mine  shall  go  out ;  and  the  ministry  of 
the  Son,  shall  swallow  up  the  ministry  of  the  servant,  as 
the  sun-light  doth  the  moon-light ;  and  the  baptism  of 
fire  shall  devour  the  baptism  of  water;  and  his  Spirit -bap- 
tism, by  degrees,  shall  put  an  end  to  my  water-baptism: 
And  therefore,  Faul{^s  you  have  heard)  after  he  had  used 
this  baptism  twice  or  thrice,  quite  forbore  it,  and  yet 
planted  many  churches  of  Christ;  and  so  probably,  by  de- 
grees, did  other  Apostles  too;  for  they  knew  that  Christ's 
baptism  included  Jo/m^s,  and  was  fully  sufficient  of  itself 
without  it;  and  therefore  we  find  7*cz// teaching  in  Christ's 
kingdom,  but  one  baptism,  and  this  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit:  Ephes.  iv.  from  which  the  church  of  the  New- 
Testament,  both  of /<?Twand  Gejitiles,  was  to  take  its  be- 
ginning, and  not  from  outward  elements,  or  water- 
washing. 

Wherefore,  seeing  these  things  are  so,  the  Anabaptists 
have  extremely  mistaken,  who  have  made  their  water- 
washing  so  essential  a  work  of  the  New- Testament,  that 
they  would  neither  hear  the  word,  nor  have  christian  com- 
munion with  any  one  that  was  not  so  washed;  yea,  though 
they  were  convinced,  toughing  them,  that  they  had  re- 
ceived the  Spirit:  This,  I  say,  hath  been  the  great  error 
of  very  many  honest  and  well-meaning  people,  through 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  407 

misunderbtanding  the  word,  to  make  \vaiihing  with  ma- 
terial water  so  necessary  a  thing-  in  spiritual  A\'orship ;  yea, 
and  more  essential  to  the  communion  of  Saints,  than  the 
very  Spirit  itself;  whom  I  do  not  therefore  judge,  but  pity. 

And  thus  much  for  watcr-baptisni,  which  was  Johri^s^ 
and  belonged  only  to  that  middle  ministry,  betwixt  the 
Prophets  and  Christ. 

Now  the  other  baptism  I  am  to  speak  of,  is  Christ's, 
which  is  spirit  or  fire-baptism  ;  and  this  is  the  one  and 
only  baptism  of  the  New  Testament,  as  we  find  /*«z// af- 
firming, Epes.  iv.  6.  where  he  saith,  that  in  Christ's  king- 
dom, where  is  but  one  body,  and  one  Spirit,  and  one 
hope  of  our  calling  ;  one  Lord  and  one  faith,  there  is 
also  but  iv  ^x7rlic-fjt,oi,  one  baptism  ;  and  this  is  the  baptism 
of  the  Spirit,  as  the  apostle  elsewhere  shews,  saving,  1. 
Cor.  xii.  15  For  by  one  Spirit  we  are  all  baptized  into 
one  bodif,  and  have  been  made  all  to  drink  into  one  Spirit. 

Now  this  Spirit- baptism  did  not  go  along  with  Johns 
\TOter- baptism,  but  followed  it  about  four 'years  after,  as 
you  have  heard,  and  as  appears  by  the  forementioned 
place  of  Christ,  Acts  i.  5.  where  he  tells  his  disciples,  say- 
ing, John  verily  baptized  with  water ^  but  ye  shall  be  bap- 
tized with  the  Holy  Spirit  not  many  days  hence  ;  and 
this  promise  of  Christ,  and  of  the  Father,  was  fulnlled  at 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  apostles  being  all  met  to- 
gether, there  came  a  sound  from  heaven^  as  of  a  mighty 
rushing  wind,  and  it  filed  the  house  where  they  were  sit- 
ting, and  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven  tongues,  like 
as  offii'e,  and  it  sat  upon  each  of  them,  and  they  were 
all  filed  with  the  Spirit,  &.c.  Here  was  the  first  begin- 
ning of  Christ's,  or  Spirit-baptism  ;  for  it  began  not  till 
after  the  ascension  of  Christ  into  heaven,  and  his  sitting 
down  on  the  throne  of  God  ;  and  John  the  apostle  also 
witnesses  to  this,  chap.  vii.  saying,  The  Spirit  was  not 
yet  given,  because  Christ  was  not  yet  glorified ;  but  as 
soon  as  he  was  glorified,  then  did  he  begin  to  baptize 


408  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

with  the  Spirit,  not  the  apostles  only,  but  also  the  Jews 
and  Gentiles,  and  all  sorts  of  people  that  did  believe  in 
his  name,  through  the  word  of  the  gospel:  So  that,  then 
Christ's  baptism  began  to  take  place,  and  prevail,  as  you 
may  see  Acts  viii.  When  the  apostles  that  were  at  Jeru- 
salem, had  heard  that  Samaria  had  received  the  word  of 
God  by  the  preaching  of  Philip,  they  sent  unto  them  Pe- 
ter and  John,  who,  when  they  were  come  down,  prayed 
for  them,  that  they  might  receive  the  holy  Spirit;  for  as 
yet  he  was  fallen  on  none  of  them  ;  (only,  saiththe  text, 
they  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  i.  c. 
they  had  only  been  baptized  with  John's  baptism,  who 
only  baptized  with  water,  saying,  that  they  should  be- 
lieve on  Christ,  that  was  to  come  after  :  For  John''s  bap- 
tism was  yet  usual,  inasmuch  as  Christ's  baptism 
was  but  newly  begun)  Then  did  the  apostles  lay  their 
liands  on  them,  and  they  received  the  holy  Spirit :  So 
that  here  we  see  the  progress  of  Spirit  baptism  And  af- 
ter, when  Peter  preached  to  Cornelius  and  his  family  and 
friends,  the  Holy  Spirit  fell  upon  them.  Acts  x.  And  Pe- 
ter gives  this  account  to  those  of  the  circumcision  at  /<f- 
rw5a/e/;?,  Acts  xi.  15.  And  as  I  began  to  speak,  the  holy 
Spirit  fell  on  them,  as  on  us  at  the  beginning  ;  then  remem- 
bered I  the  ivords  of  the  Lord,  how  that  he  said,  John  in- 
deed baptized  xvith  water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  by  the 
holy  Spirit :  So  that  Peter  evidently  declares  the  gift  of 
the  Spirit,  by  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  to  be  the  bap- 
tism of  Christ,  or  the  baptism  of  the  holy  Spirit  and  fire, 
^:  hich  Christ  promised  at  his  ascension  into  heaven. 

And  this  is  the  only  baptism,  wherein  all  the  church  of 
the  New  Testament  are  to  partake  with  Christ ;  I  say,  not 
the  baptism  of  water,  but  of  the  Spirit ;  he  and  we  drink- 
ing into  one  Spirit,  and  the  same  Spirit  descending  on  us 
as  it  did  on  him.  The  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  on  the 
flesh  of  Christ,  was  his  New  Testament  baptism,  and  it  is 
ours  too ;  and  all  our  true  and  sound  comfort  and  happi. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  409 

ness  lies  in  this,  that  we  are  baptized  with  the  same 
Spirit  that  He  was;  for  it  would  be  as  little  spiritual 
comfort  to  be  dipped  in  the  same  water  with  Christ,  as 
to  eat  with  him  at  the  same  table,  or  to  drink  with  him 
in  the  same  cup,  or  to  go  along  with  him  in  the  same 
ship,  as  Judas  did,  and  divers  of  the  unbelieving  Jews; 
but  to  drink  with  him  into  one  Spirit,  is  to  partake  of 
one  flesh  with  him,  and  to  be  one  Christ  with  him;  and 
this  is  a  comfort  indeed. 

Now  the  outward  instrument  of  Christ's,  or  Spirit  bap- 
tism, is  not  material  water,  but  the  word,  as  Christ  shews, 
Matt,  xxviii.  where  he  saith,  Teach  and  baptize,  shewing 
that  teaching  the  word  is  the  outward  means  of  baptizing 
with  the  Spirit.  And  again,  John  xvii.  JVoxv  are  you  clean 
through  the  word,  not  which  Moses,  but  which  I  have  spok- 
en unto  you,  (and  therefore  is  the  gospel  called  the  minis- 
tration of  the  Spirit,  because  it  proceeds  from  the  Spirit, 
and  communicates  the  Spirit;and  Christ  baptizes  with  the 
Spirit  through  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel)  and  jE/?y^.v.  26.  Christ  gave  him- 
self Jbr  his  church,  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  Tw 
AxT^w  T«  u  S(x}og  iv  fviiJt'Oiti,  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the 
wor(/;  that  is,  Christ  cleanses  his  church  by  such  a  washing 
of  water,  as  is  brought  about  by  the  word;  and  the  water 
with  which  the  word  washes  is  the  Spirit,  for  by  the  word 
the  Spirit  is  given,  and  the  word  cleanses  by  the  Spirit, 
and  the  Siprit  by  the  word:  And  therefore  it  is  also  said, 
1  Cor.  vii.  1.  Having  these  promises,  let  us  cleanse  our- 
selves  from  allfilthincss  of  flesh  and  spi?it. 

From  all  this  it  appears,  that  Spirit- baptism  is  not  to 
be  performed  by  water,  but  by  the  word;  and  no  man, 
under  the  New  Testament,  receives  the  Spirit  througii 
the  baptism  of  water,  but  through  the  ministry  of  the 
New-Testament,  which  is  the  only  ministration  of  tliii 
Spirit. 


410  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

To  conclude,  this  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  that  is  per= 
formed  only  by  the  word,  is  that  baptism  of  which  so 
many  excellent  things  are  spoken  in  the  New-testa- 
ment.   As, 

1.  This  baptism  of  the  Spirit  gives  a  new  nature,  and 
this  nature  is  a  divine  nature,  or  the  nature  of  God;  and 
hence  it  is  said,  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  the 
Spirit;  so  that  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  gives  a  new  birth, 
and  so  a  new  nature  :  And  again.  That  which  is  born  of 
the  Spirit  is  Spirit :  so  that  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit 
makes  us  Spirit,  and  through  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit, 
we  become  that  which  the  Spirit  itself  is  :  And  so  the 
true  foundation  of  Christianity  begins  from  faith  and  the 
new  creature,  and  not  from  water- washing. 

2.  This  baptism  gives  a  new  name;  not  John  or  Tho- 
mas, £sPc.  but  as  Christ  saith,  Rev.  iii.  12,  /  xvill  write 
upon  him  ro  ovoy^oi  f*«  to  kmvov,  my  new  name:  Our  own  is 
sin,  and  ignorance,  and  pride,  and  injustice,  and  envy> 
and  covetousness,  and  uncleanness,  and  all  evil;  and  this 
is  the  name  which  the  first  Adam  wrote  upon  us;  but  the 
name  the  second  Adam  writes  on  us,  is  righteousness 
and  holiness,  and  truth,  and  love,  and  meekness,  and  wis- 
dom, and  all  good:  and  this  is  the  name  the  second 
Adam  writes  on  us,  or  his  own  new  name;  for  Christ  him- 
self was  baptized  by  the  Spirit,  into  the  name  of  God; 
that  is,  was  taken  up  into  God,  and  the  things  of  God, 
which  are  himself,  as  into  the  truth,  wisdom,  justice,  mer- 
cy, power,  &c.  and  all  the  whole  flesh  or  humanity  of 
Christ,  even  all  his  members  are  baptized  into  the  same 
name  of  God  with  Him,  and  so  are  called  by  his  new 
name ;  so  that  this  name  of  Christ,  this  new  name 
which  is  given  us  by  God,  through  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit,  is  infinitely  better  than  that  name  which  is  given 
us  by  parents  or  godfathers  in  water- baptism. 

3.  Christ's  baptism  translates  us  into  a  new  world  : 
Except  a  man  be  born  of  that  water ^  which  is  the  Spirit, 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  411 

he  cannot  enter  intothe  kingdom  of  God:  No  man  can  pos- 
sibly enter  into  the  church  of  the  New-Testament,  which 
is  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  through  the  1)aptisms  of 
the  Spirit ;  the  baptism-  of  the  Spirit  makes  a  new  crea- 
ture, and  this  new  creature  enters  into  a  new  world, 
which  is  the  new  Jerusalem^  that  comes  down  from  God 
out  of  heaven. 

4.  Spirit-baptism  quahfies  us  for  the  same  work  with 
Christ,  that  is,  for  the  ministry  of  the  New-Testament : 
saith  Christ,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me^  for  he  hath 
anointed  me  to  preachy  Isaiah  Ixi.  1.  and  he  began  his  mi- 
nistry from  his  Spirit- baptism,  which  did  immediately 
follow  his  water. baptism,  but  was  in  no  sort  one  baptism 
with  it;  and  having,  through  the  opening  of  the  heavens, 
received  the  Spirit,  which  taught  him  the  name  of  God, 
he  presently  began  to  teach  the  name  of  God  to  others; 
and  Christ  himself  was  not  a  minister  of  the  New-Tes- 
tament, but  through  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit.  Now  all 
believers  that  are  anointed  with  him  in  his  unction,  or 
which  is  all  one,  are  baptized  with  him  in  one  baptism 
of  the  Spirit,  are  anointed  and  baptized  to  the  same  mi- 
nistry. For  the  anointing  of  the  Spirit  is  the  teaching  of 
God,  and  they  that  are  taught  of  God  themselves,  ought 
also  to  teach  others;  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  the  Spirit 
of  prophecy,  and  they  that  have  received  that  Spirit, 
must  prophesy  ;  as  it  is  written.  It  shall  come  to  pass  in 
the  last  days-,  that  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all 
Jlesh,  and  your  sons  and  daughters  shall  prophesy ;  which 
very  place,  Peter ^  Acts  ii.  applies  to  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit :  so  that  this  Spirit- baptism  of  Christ,  makes  all 
prophets  that  partake  of  it. 

5.  Spirit-baptism  makes  all  those  one  with  Christ  the 
Head,  who  partake  of  it,  Gal.  iii.  27.  As  many  as  have 
been  baptized  into  Christy  have  put  on  Christ;  so  that  by 
the  true  baptism  of  the  New-Testament,  \ve  do  actually 


412  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

put  on  Christ,  aiid  are  made  one  with  Christ :  and  this 
is  not  done  by  any  water-washing,  but  by  the  Spirit;  for 
tlirough  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  only  are  we  made  one  flesh 
Avith  Christ ;  yea,  through  this  we  necessarily  become 
one  Spirit  with  him  too  ;  as  it  is  said,  He  that  is  joined 
to  the  Lord  is  one  Spirit;  so  that  not  through  water,  but 
Spirit-baptism,  do  we  put  on  Christ,  the  Spirit  carrying 
us  into  Christ,  and  bringing  Christ  into  us,  and  being 
one  and  the  same  Spirit  in  both  ;  and  this  is  truly  to  be 
baptized  into  Christ. 

Now  this  baptism  that  makes   us  one  with   Christ, 
makes  us  to  partake  both  of  his  death  and  resurrection. 

1.  Through  baptism  of  the  Spirit  we  are  dipt  into  the 
death  of  Christ,  Rom.  vi.  3,4.  Know  ye  notithatso  many 
of  us  as  are  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  are  baptized  into  his 
death  ?  And  this  is,  as  the  Apostle  unfolds  it,  ver.  6. 
The  crucifying  of  the  old  man  with  him,  that  the  body  of  sin 
may  be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  xve  should  not  serve  sin: 
And  all  this  is  done,  not  through  any  w^ater-washing. 
but  through  the  gift  of  the  Spirit;  for  it  is  through  the 
Spirit  onl)',  that  we  are  able  to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the 
flesh;  and  nothing  but  the  presence  of  the  Spirit  in  us, 
is  the  destruction  of  sin ;  so  that  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
baptizes  us  into  the  death  of  Christ. 

2.  Spirit- baptism  makesus  partakers  of  his  resurrection 
as  well  as  of  his  death;  yea,  therefore  do  we  die  with  him, 
that  we  may  live  a  better  life,  Rom.  vi.  4.  Therefore  are 
we  buried  with  him  by  baptism  (that  is.  Spirit-baptism) 
into  death;  thathke  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead, 
by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  i.  e.  the  Spirit,  so  should  we 
also  live  in  newness  of  life;  for  if  xve  have  been  planted 
together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the 
Ukejiess  of  his  resurrection.  Where  you  see,  that  the  same 
baptism  of  the  Spirit  that  makes  us  die  with  Christ,  doth 
•ilso  quicken  us  into  his  resurrection,  and  deprives  us  of 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS-  413 

our  own  life;  not  that  we  may  remain  dead,  but  that  it 
may  communicate  to  us  a  better  life  than  our  own,  even 
the  life  of  Christ  hinielf;  that  we  who  are  men,  may  live 
the  very  life  of  the  Son  of  God  in  our  own  souls  and 
bodies,  and  may  be  quickened  with  him,  and  raised  up 
with  him,  and  set  in  heavenly  places  in  him. 

6.  As  Spirit- baptism  makes  us  one  with  Christ,  the 
Head,  so  with  the  church,  the  body,  1  Cor,  xii.  13.  For 
by  one  Spirit  are  we  ail  baptized  i?ito  one  body,  whether 
we  be  Jews  or  Gentiles,  whether  we  be  bond  or  free,  and 
have  been  all  made  to  drink  into  one  Spirit :  So  that,  by 
drinking  into  one  Spirit  with  the  church ;  we  become 
one  body  with  it,  and  no  otherways :  I  say,  not  by  be- 
ing dipt  into  the  same  water,  but  by  receiving  the  same 
Spirit,  do  we  become  one  body  with  the  church  ;  and  it 
is  not  the  being  of  one  judgment,  or  opinion,  or  form  or 
the  like,  that  makes  men  one  true  church  or  body  of 
Christ ;  but  the  being  of  one  Spirit ;  and  none  are  of 
that  church,  which  is  the  body  of  Christ  but  those  who 
are  baptized  with  that  one  Spirit  of  Christ. 

7.  Spirit-baptism  truly  washes  and  cleanses  from  sin : 
What  water- baptism  doth  in  the  sign,  this  doth  in  the 
truth ;  even  cleanses  from  ail  carnal  and  spiritual  filthi- 
ness  :  and  no  man  is  cleansed  from  sin,  but  by  the  wash- 
ing of  the  Spirit ;  the  pouring  forth  of  the  Spirit  on  all 
flesh,  is  the  killing  of  sin  in  all  flesh,  1  Cur.  vi.  9.  10,  11- 
Neither  fornicators,  nor  idolators,  nor  adulterers,  nor  ef- 
feminate, nor  abusers  of  themselves  with  mankind,  nor 

thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  ex- 
tortioners, shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  such 
were  some  of  you,  but  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are  sancti- 
fied tn  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  Spirit 
of  our  God:  So  that  Spirit- baptism  cleanses  from  all 
sin,  whatever  it  is  ;  and  there  is  no  man  cleansed  from 
sin,  but  through  this  baptism. 


414  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

And  again,  Ephes,  v.  26,  27.  Christ  gave  himself  for 
the  churchy  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it^  with 
the  washing  of  water  by  the  word^  that  he  might  present 
it  to  himself  a  glorious  churchy  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle, 
or  any  such  thing  ;  but  that  it  should  be  holy,  and  without 
blemish  ;  and  nothing  doth  thus  purify  the  church,  till  it 
be  without  spot,  wrinkle,  or  blemish,  and  till  it  be  perfect- 
ly holy,  but  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit.  And  therefore, 
though  the  baptism  o^John  was  administered  but  once,  yet 
the  baptism  of  Christ  is  a  continued  baptism ;  for  as  long 
as  corruption  is  in  the  flesh,  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  is 
in  use  :  So  that  the  nature  and  life  of  a  christian  are  un- 
der a  constant  and  continual  baptism,  God  every  day 
pouring  forth  his  Spirit  upon  a  believer,  for  the  purify- 
ing and  sanctifying  of  him,  and  making  him  meet  for 
the  immediate  presence  of  God,  whither  no  unclean 
thing  comes,  nor  the  least  uncleanness  in  any  thing. 

8.  Spirit-baptism  saves  :  whatever  in  us  is  washed 
with  the  Spirit,  is  saved  as  well  as  sanctified  ;  and  how 
much  any  one  hath  received  of  the  Spirit,  so  much  as 
he  already  saved,  Titus  iii.  5..  According  to  his  mercy  he 
hath  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renew- 
ing of  the  holy  Spirit,  which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour :  Where  the  apostle 
teaches  us  how  God  saves,  and  that  is,  not  by  John''s  bap- 
tism, or  water- washing,  but  by  the  laver  of  regeneration, 
which  is  the  renewing  of  the  holy  Spirit,  poured  on  us 
abundantly,  through  Christ :  so  that  he  calls  the  bap- 
tism of  the  Spirit,  the  laver  of  regeneration  ;  such  a  la- 
ver  as  renews  the  old  nature,  yea,  and  begets  a  new 
one  ;  so  that  a  man,  through  this  haptism,  is  wholly 
changed,  not  in  a  few  good  works,  but  in  his  whole 
nature  ;  and  from  his  newness  of  nature,  flows  new- 
ness of  life  ;  so  that  he  is  no  more  as  he  was,  but  is, 
and  lives,  and  loves,  and  thinks,  and  speaks,  and  acts, 
othcjtwavs  than  he  was  wont ;    and  this  cannot  be  the 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS.  415 

work  of  water  in  any  measure,  but  wholly  of  the  Spirit; 
for  where  men  are  destitute  of  the  Spirit,  though  washed 
with  water  a  thousand  times,  there  is  no  change  of  nature 
in  them;  but  the  change  of  nature  wrought  by  Spirit-bat- 
tism,  is  so  much  present  salvation,  even  in  this  present 
world.  There  is  another  Scripture  that  witnesses  tlie  ssme 
thing;  and  it  is  1  Peter  iii.  .0.  A  few  (that  is,  eighr  souls) 
were  saved  by  water:  the  like  figure  (whereunto  baptism 
answering  J  ^  doth  now  also  save  us;  not  that  xvherehy  the 
filth  of  the  fie  sh  is  cast  away  ^  hut  xvhcrebtj  a  good  consci- 
ence answers  well  to  God,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ.     Peter  having  said  that  baptism  answers  to  the 
flood,  and  saves  the  church  now,  as  the  flood  did  the 
church  then;  yea  saith  he,  but  I  mean  not  the  outward  bap- 
tism, or  the  washing  away  of  the  filth  of  the  body,  but  the 
answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God,  by  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ:  Which  place  is  difficult;  but  I  thus 
conceive  it.  The  efficacy  of  Christ's  resurrection  is  the 
gift  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  a  believer,  rec- 
tifies his  conscience,  and  makes  it  good;  so  that  it  can  re- 
turn a  sweet  answer  to  God,  upon  every  word  of  his;  for 
the  work  of  the  Spirit  in  the  heart,  answers  every  word 
of  faith  spoken  from  God;  particularly  it  can  say  to  God, 
"  I  was  indeed  filthy  and  unclean  throughout,  but  I  am 
now  washed,  and  justified  and  sanctified  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  my  God;"  and  this 
Spirit-batism  is  that  which  saves,  and  not  the  water, 
which  puts  a-.vay  the  filth  of  the  flesh  only,   but  leaves 
the  filth  of  the  Spirit  as  much  as  ever. 

So  that,  in  this  place,  Peter  puts  an  end  to  baptism  in 
the  flesh,  as  Paul,  Rom.  ii.  28.  puts  an  end  to  circumci- 
sion in  the  flesh,  saying,  He  is  not  a  Jew  which  is  one  out- 
wardly, neither  is  that  cireumcisoin  which  is  outward  in 
the  fiesh;  but  he  is  a  Jew  which  is  one  inwardly,  and  cir- 
cumcision is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  Spirit,  and  not  iv 


416  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  BAPTISMS. 

the  letter y  whose  praise  is  not  qfmen^  but  of  God:  That 
is,  saith /*<7z^/,  in  the  kingdom  or' Christ,  where  all  things 
are  spiritual,  circumcision  in  the  Spirit  puts  an  end  to  cir- 
cumsion  in  the  flesh:  and  in  the  same  kingdom  of  Christ, 
saith  Peter ^  baptism  in  the  Spirit,  puts  an  end  to  baptisni 
in  the  flesh;  for  he  is  not  a  christian  who  is  one  outwardly, 
neither  is  that  baptism  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh:  but 
he  is  a  christian  who  is  one  inwardly,  and  baptism  is  that 
of  the  heart,  in  the  Spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter,  whose 
praise,  also,  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God.  For  under  the 
gospel,  which  is  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  (as  ye  have 
been  oft  minded)  we  can  find  nothing  among  all  outward 
things,  through  the  use  and  exercise  whereof,  we  may  at- 
tain to  the  cleanness  and  purity  of  righteousness  in  our  na- 
tures: and  therefore  Christ  hath  put  an  end  to  all  outward, 
carnal,  and  earthly  things  of  the  first  Testament,  by  the 
inward,  spiritual,  and  heavenlj^  things  of  a  second  and 
better  Testament:  And  by  his  own  death  and  resurrec- 
tion only,  not  without  us,  but  within  us,  through  the 
power  and  efficacy  of  his  Spirit,  all  the  baptism  of  the 
New-Testament  is  fully  and  perfectly  performed. 

And  thus,  in  all  these  particulars,  you  see  the  infinite 
excellency  and  giory  of  the  Spirit-baptism,  above  water- 
baptism:  and  this  only  is  suflicient  in  the  days  of  the.gospel, 
as  being  the  true  and  proper  baptism  of  the  New-Testa- 
ment: For  as  Christ  himself  only,  is  sufficient  to  the  faith- 
ful without  John^  though  John  were  of  use  in  his  season^ 
to  point  out  Christ;  so  the  baptism  of  Christ  only,  is  suffi- 
cient to  the  faithful,  without  the  baptism  olJohn^  though 
the  baptism  o^John  were  of  use  in  its  season,  to  point  out 
the  baptism  of  Christ;  and  the  baptist  himself  was  of  this 
judgment,  who  said  to  Christ,  I  have  need  to  be  baptized 
of  thee;  which  he  means,  not  of  water-baptism  (for  so 
Christ  himself,  as  you  have  heard,  did  not  baptize)  but 
of  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit;  and  so  the  Baptist  himself, 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY.  417 

\\lio  was  never  baptized  with  water,  neither  by  Christ 
nor  the  Apostles,  nor  any  body  else,  yet  was  baptized  with 
the  Spirit,  and  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  was  sufficient  for 
the  baptist,  without  any  water-baptism  ;  and  so  Christ's 
Spirit-baptism  by  the  word,  is  sufficient  for  all  the  faith- 
ful now,  without  Jo/m's  water- baptism  ;  for  he  that  is 
truly  washed  from  all  filthiness  of  flesh  and  Spirit,  and 
hath  the  Holy  Ghost  in  him  to  renew  his  nature,  and  to 
conform  him  exactly  to  Christ's  own  image,  and  to  work 
him  in  this  present  world,  into  the  true  similitude  of 
heaven,  and  to  be  in  him  ^fountain  ofxvater^  springing  up 
unto  everlasting  life^  what  need  hath  he  of  cold  material 
water  to  be  poured  on  his  body,  under  the  pretence  of 
any  sign  whatever,  either  of  Moses  or  John,  when-as,  he 
hath  the  truth,  substance,  and  heavenly  thing  itself? 

Now  this,  it  may  be,  may  seem  strange  and  dangerous 
to  some  of  low,  and  fleshly,  and  customary  religion  ;  but 
let  all  such  (if  it  be  possible)  consider,  that  where  the  sub- 
stance comes,  the  shadow  is  at  an  end  ;  and  the  ceremony 
where  the  truth,  comes  ;  and  the  creature  were  God  comes : 
And  if  they  understand  not  this  for  the  present,  I  hope 
they  may  understand  it  afterwards  ;  for  we  speak  not  at  un- 
certainties in  this  point,  what  we  have  in  some  measure  seen, 
and  felt,  cmd  handled  of  the  xvordoflife,  that  we  deliver  to  you, 
that  ye  may  have  fellowship  with  us  ;  and  truly  ^  ourfelloW' 
ship  is  zvith  the  Father,  and  his  son  Jesus  Christ,  through 
the  Spirit. 

~  '        —  -■      ^  ■  ■ ■-■■■■■—-■  '  -  ...p...!!  MM     t^     ■ 

Isaiah  iviii.  12, 
^nd  they  that  shall  be  of  thee  (that  is,  of  the  church  that 
is  born  of  the  Spirit)  shall  build  the  old  waste  places,  (made 
such  by  the  church  that  is  born  of  the  flesh)  thou  shalt 
raise  up  the  foundations  of  many  generations  (by  the  clear 
reveahng  of  Christ,  his  kingdom-and  all  his  things,  accord- 
ing to  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit)  and  thou  shalt  be  called 
the  Repairer  cfthe  breach,  the  Restorer  of  paths  to  dwell  in. 
(Here  Christ  writes  upon  the  foreinentioned  church  his 
own  new  name. )  3  G 


THE 

TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS, 

BOTH   IS 

TEACHERS  AND  HEARERS ; 

Wherein  is  held  forth,  the  clear  Discovery  and  certain  Downfall, 

OF  THE 

CARNAL  AND  ANTICHRISTIAN  CLERGY  OF  THESE  NATIONS  ; 

TESTIFIED  FROM  THE  WORD  OF  GOD, 

TO    THE 

UNIVERSITY-CONGREGATION  IN  CAMBRIDGE. 


BY  WILLIAM  DELL. 


Whereunto  is  added. 


A  plain  and  necessary  Confutation  of  divers  gross  Errors, 
deHvered  by  Mr.  Sydrach  Simpson, 

IN  A  SERMON,  PREACHED  TO  THE  SAME  CONGREGA- 
TION, AT  THE  COMMENCEMENT,  ANNO  1653. 

Wherein,  among  other  things,  is  declared,  that  the  Universities  (ac- 
cording to  their  present  Statutes  and  Practices)  are  not  (as  he  af- 
firmed) answerable  to  the  Schools  of  the  Prophets,  in  the  time  of 
the  Law  ;  but  rather  to  the  Idolatrous  High  Places. 

And  that  Humam  Learning,  is  not  a  Preparation  appointed  by  Christ 
either  for  the  right  understanding,  or  right  teaching  the  Gospel. 

With  a  brief  Testimony  against  Divinity-Degrees  in  the 
Universities. 

As  also  Luther's  testimony  at  large  upon  the  whole  matter. 

And  lastly,  The  right  reformation  of  Learning,  Schools,  and  Uni- 
versities, according  to  the  State  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  Light 
that  shines  therein. 

All  necessary  for  the  Instruction  and  Direction  of  the  Faithful,  in 

these  last  times.  > 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 

To  all  the  truly  faithful,  the  very  little  Flock  of  Christ 
in  these  Nations,  now  despised,  and  almost  worn  out 
(according  to  the  prophecies)  for  the  word  of  God, 
and  Testimony  which  they  hold. 

Grace  be  multiplied  unto  you,  and  Peace  from  God  our 
Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  our  head  and 
Hope. 

I  Could  not  choose  but  distinguish  you  thus,  from 
all  "^he  "rest  ot  the  people  of  these  nations,  of  what  con- 
dition or  quality  soever,  seeing  God  himself  hath  first 
done  it,  having  chosen  you  to  himself  in  Christ,  and  set 
you  apart  for  himself,  as  a  peculiar  people,   zealous  of 
good  works.     And  I  have  chosen  to  speak  this  only  to 
you,  because  ye  are  all  taught  of  God,  and  have  heard  and 
learned  from  Him,  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus :  And  be- 
'  cause  you  have  an  inward  unction  from  God,  whereby 
you  know  the  truth  from  error,  though  it  be  never  so 
much  reproached  by  carnal  christians;   and  whereby  you 
know  error  from  the  truth,   though  it  be  never  so  much 
exalted  and  magnified  by  them.     You  are  those  spiritual 
men,  who  judge  all  things,  because  you  have  received  the 
word  and  Spirit  of  judgment  in  Christ,  from  the  Father. 
Besides,  you  are  the  men  whom  God  will  use  in  his 
greatest  and  most  glorious  works,  which  he  hath  yet  to  do 
in  the  world ;  to  wit,  in  the  destruction  of  the  kingdom  of 
antichrist,  and  in  the  setting  up,  and  enlarging  the  king- 
dom of  Christ ;  which  things  are  not  to  be  done  by  the 
might  and  power  of  worldly  magistrates  (which,  it  may  be, 
you  have  not  received ;  and  if  you  had,  it  would  not  be 
helpful  here)  but  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  which  you 


422  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 

all  have  received  in  some  measure.  Yea  farther,  none 
but  you  will  be  contented  to  live  only  by  faith,  and  to 
foUoAv  Christ  in  untrodden  paths,  and  to  undertake  im- 
possible works  to  flesh  and  blood ;  and  none  but  you 
will  be  willing  to  have  the  residue  of  Christ's  life  and 
works,  and  of  his  sufferings  and  death,  fulfilled  in  your 
mortal  bodies. 

You  christians  are  called  chosen  and  faithful,  and  you 
will  still  be  found  with  the  Lamb  on  Mount  Sion,  and 
with  the  first  who  have  his  name,  and  his  Father's  name, 
written  in  their  foreheads  ;  and  you  dare  still  to  own  the  an- 
cient truth,  cause  and  work  of  Christ,  how  great  disad- 
vantage soever,  is,  for  the  present,  risen  up  against  it, 
through  the  apostacy  of  carnal  christians,  the  lovers  of  this 
%vorld.  And  you  all  know,  that  all  that  hath  been  done 
hitherto  by  the  sword,  is  but  the  preparation  of  Christ's 
w^ay  to  his  work  ;  and  that  the  work  itself  is  still  behind, 
and  to  be  done  by  those  worthies  of  the  Lord,  who  love 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  kingdom,  and  coming,  a  thousand 
times  better  than  the  present  world,  and  all  the  best  things 
of  it ;  yea,  than  their  own  lives.  Wherefore  I  advise  you 
all,  to  whom  now  I  speak,  to  take  heed  that  you  neither 
drink  nor  sip  of  the  clergies  cup,  which  carries  in  it  the 
xvine  of  the  wrath  of  the  fornification  of  antichrist;  lest, 
having  drunk  thereof,  you  fall  asleep  through  the  strength 
of  their  inchantments,  and  so  are  rendered  unable  to  fol- 
low Christ  any  farther.  For  many  powers  and  magistrates 
of  the  world,  once  hopeful,  have  been  tlfus  overcome  and 
seduced  into  antichrist's  cause  against  Christ,  to  their  utter 
ruin  in  the  end.  And  how  iu\e  the  present  clergy,  with 
their  most  plausible  men,  attempted  some  of  this  present 
power ;  yea,  some  of  the  very  chiefest  and  most  godly  in 
the  army  ;  and  have  put  them  into  some  (that  I  say  not 
great)  danger !  Wherefore  remember  you,  that  word  of 
the  Lord,  spoken  by  his  Angel,  Bev.  xiv.  9,  10.  If  an 7/ 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY.  423 

f}ian  worship  the  beast  and  his  imagey  and  receive  his  ?nark 
in  his  forehead^  or  in  his  haiid,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the 
wine  of  the  wrath  of  God^  which  is  poured  out  without 
mixture^  into  the  cup  of  his  indig?iationy  ^c. 

If  any  man  worship  the  beast^  that  is,  the  antichristian 
church  of  the  pope,  and  his  prelates  and  clergy,  which  is 
called  the  beast,  because  of  its  fierceness  and  cruelty 
against  the  saints :  or  his  image,  that  is,  the  church  cf 
the  bishops  and  presbyters,  which,  in  a  lesser  volume,  and 
less  letters,  doth  answer  the  other  and  is  directly  like  it. 
Whoever  shall  worship  these,  that  is,  highly  esteem  them 
for  their  human  learning,  and  school  divinity,  and  sacred- 
ness  of  their  orders,  and  count  them  worthy  all  honour  and 
respect,  and  worldly  maintenance  ;  and  also  to  have  power 
in  matters  of  religion,  to  allow  and  determine  of  doctrine, 
and  to  appoint  and  institute  in  matters  of  government : 
and  being  worldly  powers,  do  subject  themselves,  and  all 
the  worldly  people  under  them,  to  these  men's  religion, 
authority,  doctrine,  discipline,  &c.  whosoever  shall  thus 
worship  them,  or  shall  receive  his  mark,  that  is,  this 
principle,  that,  it  is  lawful  to  punish  and  persecute  men 
in  matters  that  merely  relate  to  faith  and  the  gospel,  and 
this  under  pretence  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  good  of 
christian  people ;  which  is  the  beast's  mark  in  every  age, 
and  under  every  change  of  outward  form :  whoever  shall 
receive  this  mark  in  their  forehead,  tliat  is,  to  profess 
this  doctrine  only  :  or  in  their  hand,  that  is,  to  execute  it 
according  to  laws,  which  the  nations  have  been  seduced 
to  make  to  this  purpose :  The  same  sJiall  drink  of  the  wine 
qfthe  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture, 
into  the  cup  of  his  indignation  ;  and  he  shall  be  tormented 
zvith  fre  and  brimstone,  in  the  presence  of  the  holy  an- 
gelsi  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb  ;  and  the  smoak  of 
their  torment  asccndeth  up  for  ever  and  ever. 


424  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 

Wherefore  you  faithful  ones  have  great  cause  to  be  very 
well  advised  in  these  things,  seeing  the  chief  design  of  an- 
tichrist is  to  seduce  the  elect ;  seeing  he  hath  nobody 
else  in  all  the  world  that  dare  oppose  him,  or  know  how 
to  do  it,  but  you  :  And  he  knows,  if  he  can  prevail  with 
you,  all  the  world  besides  will  follow  him  headlong,  as 
the  Gergesenes  swine  ran  into  the  sea,  and  were  choaked. 

Now  I  have  adventured,  through  the  inspiration  of  the 
Almighty,  to  undertake  openly  and  plainly  against  the 
clergy  and  universities,  which,  in  their  present  state,  are  the 
residue  of  the  hour  and  power  of  darkness  upon  the  na- 
tions :  And  the  Lord,  of  his  grace,  hath  helped  me  through 
this  work,  by  his  Spirit  of  counsel  and  might.  And  so  I 
have  freely  and  willingly  exposed  myself  for  Christ  and 
his  truth's  sake,  to  all  the  reproaches,  slanders,  revilings, 
contradictions,  and  (if  their  power  shall  serve)  persecu- 
tions of  the  universities  and  clergy ;  and  of  all  those 
people,  high  and  low,  bond  and  free,  who  have  received 
their  mark,  and  worship  them  :  Choosing  rather  to  suffer 
with  Christ,  and  with  you,  his  seed,  all  manner  of  tri- 
bulations, than  to  reign  with  them  ;  and  much  rather  em- 
bracing christian  communion,  with  poor  plain  husband- 
men and  tradesmen,  who  believe  in  Clirist,  and  have  re- 
ceived his  Spirit,  than  with  the  heads  of  universities,  and 
highest,  and  stateliest  of  the  clergy,  who,  under  a  specious 
form  of  godliness,  do  yet  live  in  true  enmity  and  opposi- 
tion to  the  gospel. 

I  do  indeed,  freely  acknowledge,  that  I  have  often  been 
ready  to  complain  to  God,  in  the  anguish  of  my  spirit,  that 
he  had  called  me,  a  very  bruised  reed,  to  a  more  difficult 
task,  in  one  respect,  than  eithet  fFickliJffe,  Hus  or  Luther^ 
those  strong  pillars  in  the  house  of  God ;  to  wit,  because 
much  of  the  gross  body  of  antichristianism,  against  which 
they  chiefly  engaged,  being  done  away  by  their  ministry, 
there  still  remains  the  cunning  and  subtil  soul  and  spirit 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY.  425 

thereof,  which  yet  is  all  in  all,  in  antichrist's  kingdom, 
though  it  be  farther  removed  from  the  knowledge  and 
notice  of  the  common  sort  of  christians.  And  so  the 
mystery  of  iniquity  is  now  become  more  mysterious  and 
deceiving  than  in  their  times  ;  And  as  perfect  and  bitter 
enmity  against  Christ  and  his  spirit,  and  the  true  temple 
of  God,  the  spiritual  church,  as  ever  was  in  all  their 
times,  doth  now  prevail  under  the  name  of  orthodox 
doctrine,  and  the  reformation  of  religion,  by  the  late  As- 
sembly of  Divines,  which  the  clergy  are  all  now  ready  to 
set  up,  if  they  could  gain  the  secular  arm  to  strengthen 
them  thereunto,  (of  which  now  they  have  greatest  hopes) 
and  without  which,  their  religion  can  find  no  high  place 
in  this  world. 

Now  herein  the  old  mystery  of  iniquity  is  renewed 
amongst  these  men,  that  they  would  have  an  outward 
letter  and  ministry,  without  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  to  be 
the  doctrine  and  ministry  of  the  New-Testament,  which 
is  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  and  not  of  the  letter  :  And 
would  have  the  secular  magistrate  to  have  right  and 
power  to  enforce  men  to  such  a  religion,  as  himself  judges 
true,  by  the  help  and  counsel  of  those  ministers,  which 
himself  judges  orthodox  :  As  if  some  men  were  able  to 
teach  spiritual  things,  and  all  to  understand  them,  by 
natural  reason  made  use  of,  and  improved ;  which  yet 
these  men  deny  in  t^miniS)  whilst  they  assert  it  in  the  prin- 
ciple. For  they  will  not  leave  it  to  the  Father,  to  draw 
whom  he  pleaseth  to  the  Son  ;  neither  ^vill  they  leave  it  to 
the  Spirit,  to  choose  what  living  stones  he  pleaseth,  to 
build  them  together  to  be  the  habitation  of  God  :  But  the 
ecclesiastical  state,  having  seduced  the  temporal,  to  make 
them  believe,  that  the  magistrate's  worldly  power,  in 
union  with  their  worldly  religion,  may  make  a  national 
church  of  all,  that  they,  betw'een  themselves,  please  ;  and 
may  allow,  and  set  up,  such  a  doctrine  for   orthodox, 

3  H 


426  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 

which  these  men,  who  are  in  academical  degrees,  and  ec- 
clesiastical orders,  do  approve  for  such  ;  though  the  Spirit 
of  God,  in  all  believers  testifies  that  these  men  have  not 
the  mind  of  Christ,  but  of  Antichrist,  in  all  they  teach, 
and  act,  and  counsel ;  in  their  assemblies,  churches, 
doctrine,  ordinances,  works,  duties,  days,  times,  fast- 
ings, thanksgivings,  and  every  thing  else  :  Yet  these  hav- 
ing the  outward  carcass,  or  appearance  of  religion,  though 
destitute  of  the  inward  soul  of  it,  which  is  true  faith,  and 
the  Spirit  of  God,  do  cozen,  not  only  the  meaner  people, 
but  the  very  magistrates  of  the  world ;  v.ho  are  glad  to 
hear,  that  the  clergy  have  given  them  such  high  power 
in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  made  them  magistrates  in 
both  worlds  ;  though  indeed,  in  the  end,  it  be  not  for  the 
magistrates  advantage,  but  wholly  for  the  clergies. 

And  thus  is  the  mystery  of  iniquity  groAvn  more  mys- 
terious now  than  heretofore.  But  this  is  our  comfort  and 
help,  that  God  still  causes  his  light  to  shine  forth  pro- 
portionally to  his  people,  to  discover  every  new  change 
and  form  of  the  mystery  of  iniquity.  And  though  the 
mystery  of  iniquity,  in  e\'cry  age,  is  mysterious  enough, 
to  cozen  all  the  unbelieving  world,  though  never  so  wise 
and  learned ;  yet  is  it  never  able  to  deceive  the  faithful, 
who  have  always  sufficient  light  from  God  to  discover  it, 
and  sufficient  grace  to  overcome  it. 

And  now,  you  faithful  and  belovfd  ones,  to  whom  I 
have  spoken  all  this,  stand  you  fast,  and  depart  not  from 
Christ,  his  word,  and  work  (all  which  you  know  in  faith) 
for  any  good  or  evil  things  that  may  befall  you  in  this 
short  life  ;  but  finish  in  faith  and  patience,  the  work  which 
God  hath  given  you  to  do,  in  your  several  places,  waiting 
for  the  j^lorv  which  shall  be  c:iven  vou  at  the  revelation  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  in  whom  I  ren.ain,  though  most 
unworthy, 

Your  humble  and  faithful  Servant  in  the  Gospel, 

IF.  D. 


427 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 


I  JOHN    IV.    I 6. 

Beloved^  believe  not  every  spirit^  but  try  the  spirits,  whether 
they  be  of  God ;  because  many  false  prophets  are  gone  forth 
into  the  xvorld.  Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God:  Every 
spirit  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  m  the  fiesh, 
is  of  God.  And  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  come  in  the  fesh,  is  not  of  God :  And  this  is  that 
spirit  of  antichrist,  xuhereof  you  have  heard,  that  it  should 
come,  and  even  now  already  it  is  in  the  xvorld.  Te  ore  of 
God,  little  children,  and  have  overcotne  them,  because  greater 
is  he  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the  xvorld.  They  are 
of  the  xvorld,  therefore  speak  they  of  the  xvorld,  and  the  world 
hears  them.  We  are  of  God ;  he  that  knoxveth  God,  heareth  us; 
he  that  is  not  of  God,  heareth  not  us ;  hereby  knoxv  we  the 
spirit  of  truth,  and  the  spirit  of  error » 

In  this  scripture  we  may  take  notice  of  these  six  things. 

1.  The  apostle  gives  notice  to  the  beloved  congrega- 
tion of  spiritual  christians,  of  a  great  evil  risen  up  in  the 
world,  v/hich  (if  not  carefully  heeded)  might  occasion 
some  great  trouble  and  danger  to  them  ;  Many  false  pro- 
phets, saith  he,  are  gone  out  into  the  xvorld,  ver.  1. 

2.  He  prescribes  them  a  sufficient  remedy  against  this 
evil,  saying.  Believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits, 
ivhether  they  are  of  God. 

3.  That  the  faithful  might  be  able  to  make  a  right 
judgment  of  spirits,  he  gives  them  one  short  rule  of  trial, 
which  vet  comprehends   in   itself  all   rules  •  ver.  2,  3, 


428  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

'*  Hereby  know  we  the  Spirit  of  God;  every  spirit  that 
confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  of  God  ; 
and  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
come  in  the  flesh,  is  not  of  God,"  &c. 

4.  He  shews  them  with  whom  these  false  prophets,  who 
have  the  spirit  of  antichrist,  should  not  prevail ;  to  wit, 
with  none  of  the  true  children  of  God ;  ver.  4.  "  Ye  are 
of  God,  little  children,  and  have  overcome  them;  because 
greater  is  he  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world." 

5.  He  shews  them  with  whom  the  false  prophets  should 
prevail,  to  wit,  with  the  world  and  carnal  people ;  ver,  5. 
"  They  are  of  the  world,  therefore  speak  they  of  the 
world,  and  the  world  heareth  them."  The  world  seeking 
its  own  things,  receives  antichrist,  and  his  prophets. 

6.  Pie  shews  how  the  spirit  of  truth  and  error  may  be 
known  in  the  people,  as  well  as  in  the  teachers ;  to  wit, 
by  the  people's  cleaving,  either  to  the  teachers  of  truth,  or 
lo  the  teachers  of  error;  ver,  6.  '*  We  are  of  God;  he 
that  knoweth  God,  heareth  us ;  he  that  is  not  of  God, 
heareth  uot  us ;  hereby  know  we  the  spirit  of  truth,  and 
the  spirit  of  error. 

These  six  things  are  held  forth  to  us  in  this  scripture, 
and  they  are  all  very  profitable  and  necessary  for  the  true 
church  to  be  acquainted  withal,  especially  in  these  last  of 
the  latter  times.     I  shall  begin  with  the  first ;  which  is, 

FIRST  POINT. 
The  great  and  dangerous  evil  of  which  the  Apostle  gives 

notice  to  the  church  of  believers,  and  that  is,  the  going 

out  of  false  prophets  into  the  w  orld. 

Manij  false  prophets  are  gone  out  into  the  ivorld. 

And  here  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  from  the  very  beginning 
of  the  world,  there  have  been  two  seeds  or  generations  of 
men,  very  contrary  the  one  to  the  other,  as  is  evident  in 
(\cn.  iii.  15.  where  God  saith  to  the  serpent,  "  I  will  put 
enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed 
■md  her  s^^ed,"     The  <^oed  K^^'i  one  of  these,  are  called  the 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  429 

sons  of  God,  of  the  other,  the  sons  of  man  ;  Gen.  vi.  6.  And 
both  these,  being  the  children  of  one  Adarn^  according  to 
the  flesh,  are  yet  distinguished  by  several  spirits,  that 
dwell  in  them,  and  inspire  them :  For  the  Spirit  of  God, 
that  is,  the  Spirit  of  righteousness  and  truth,  doth  inspire 
the  one,  and  these  are  truly  called  the  children  of  God,  as 
PaidsdHxhy  Rom.  viii.  "  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God".  And  the  spirit  of  Sa- 
tan, which  is  the  spirit  of  wickedness  and  error,  doth  in- 
spire the  other ;  and  these  are  truly  called  the  sons  of  men, 
who  all  have  sinned,  and  are  deprived  of  the  glory  of  God. 

Now  these  two  different  and  contrary  spirits,  which  have 
dwelt  in  these  two  distinct  seeds,  have  acted  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world,  each  one  according  to  his  own  na- 
ture ;  and  to  trade  and  traffick  with  mankind,  and  out  of 
them,  to  bring  forth  children  to  themselves,  like  to 
themselves  in  all  things ;  and  so  one  hath  endeavoured 
to  beget  and  bring  forth  the  children  of  God,  and 
of  truth ;  the  other  the  children  of  men,  and  of  error : 
And  to  this  end,  the  one  hath  held  forth  the  truth  of  God, 
by  the  true  Spirit  of  God  ;  the  other  hath  held  forth  error 
and  falsehood,  yet  as  if  it  were  the  truth  :  The  one  hatli 
endeavoured  to  bring  man  unto  God,  through  true  faith 
and  repentance ;  the  other  to  turn  men  from  God  through 
sin  :  The  one  hath  sought  to  Avork  salvation  in  men,  the 
other  destruction. 

Now  the  false  spirit  hath  been  the  most  common  in  the 
world,  and  hath  had  the  greatest  opportunities  and  advan- 
tages to  multiply  itself,  seeing  it  finds  the  whole  worldalrea- 
dy  lying  in  wickedness,  and  fully  prepared  to  receive  itself. 
But  the  true  Spirit  hath  been  found  in  very  few,  and  that 
from  the  beginning ;  for  there  have  been  but  few  true 
prophets,  who  have  had  the  true  Spirit,  and  have  spoken 
the  true  word,  as  you  may  see  all  along  in  the  scriptures, 
especially  in  the  times  oi  Elijah  and  Micajah;  but  Christ 


430  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRIIS. 

saith,  Many  false  prophets  shall  arise ,  and  deceive  many  ; 
and  Peter  saith,  in  his  second  epistle,  chap.  ii.  1,  2.  "  That, 
as  there  were  false  prophets  among  the  people,  that  is  the 
Jews,  so  there  shall  be  false  doctors  and  teachers  among 
the  christians,  who  should  privily  bring  in  damnable  here- 
sies, and  that  many  should  follow  their  pernicious  ways." 

So  that,  as  there  has  been  many  false  prophets  from  the 
beginning,  so  especially  in  the  days  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment ;  for  the  more  Christ  hath  appeared,  by  his  Spirit, 
to  lead  men  into  truth,  the  more  hath  the  devil  appeared, 
by  his  spirit,  to  lead  men  into  error,  and  this  is  proi>erly 
called  antichrist ;  for  flesh  and  blood  is  not  antichrist,  but 
a  spirit  contrary  to  Christ's  Spirit,  that  dwells  in  flesh  and 
blood,  and  chiefly  among  those  that  profess  the  christian 
religion  :  This  is  antichrist. 

No  spirit,  in  the  Jews  or  Gentiles,  is  properly  called  an- 
tichrist; but  the  spirit  of  Satan,  in  false  christians,  appear- 
ing as  an  angel  of  light,  this  is  antichrist.  Before  Christ 
came  in  the  flesh,  the  devil  was  an  evil  spirit,  and  a  liar, 
and  a  murderer,  and  the  unclean  spirit,  and  prince  of  this 
world  ;  but  he  was  not  properly  antichrist,  because  Christ 
was  not  then  come  in  the  flesh.  The  devil  was  the  devil 
before,  and  did  dwell  and  work  in  evil  men ;  but  from 
the  beginning  of  the  christian  church,  he  is  called  anti- 
christ, and  that  not  every  where,  but  in  the  church  or 
kingdom  of  Christ :  For  antichrist  is  a  spirit  that  dissolves 
Jesus,  and  that  not  openly,  but  subtilly  and  cunningly, 
yea,  under  the  name  and  pretence  of  Jesus,  he  is  wholly 
contrary  to  him.  Wherefore,  the  discerning  of  spirits,  as 
it  has  been  necessary  from  the  begir.ning  of  the  world, 
so  also  it  is  especially  necessary  in  the  days  of  the  gospel, 
wherein  the  mystery  of  iniquity  is  become  most  mysterious, 
through  the  operation  of  antichrist,  m  those  ?7ia7iyjalse  pro- 
phets which  are  gone  forth  into  the  world.  And  so  we 
proceed  to  th^  second  point.' 


TPIE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  431 

SECOND  POINT. 

And  that  is,  That  sufficient  remedy,  which  the  Apostle 
prescribes  to  the  true  church,  against  that  great  evil,  of 
many  false  prophets  being  gone  out  into  the  world. 

Now  the  remedy  the  Apostle  prescribes  to  the  faithful 
against  these  i'alse  prophets,  is  not,  that  they  should  stir  up 
the  secular  power,  to  imprison,  banish  or  burn  them,  that 
so  they  might  be  rid  of  them  ;  for  this  is  antichrist's  pro- 
per remedy  against  those  that  oppose  him  ;  but  the  Apostle 
shews  a  more  christian  remedv,  w  hich  is  this,  Believe  7iot 
every  spirit^  but  try  the  spirits,  whether  they  be  of  God  % 
and  this  remedy  alone  is  sufficient  for  the  true  spiritual 
church  of  the  faithful  in  every  age,  to  preserve  it  safe  and 
sound  against  all  false  teachers  whatsoever,  and  their  false 
doctrines  :  neither  doth  it  desire,  or  need  any  other. 
Wherefore  in  this  case,  the  Apostle  contents  himself  to 
give  only  this  caution  to  the  faithful.  Believe  not  every 
spirit,  but  try  the  spirits  whether  they  be  of  God. 

Believe  not  every  spirt,  &c.  that  is,  every  one  that 
speaketh  of  spiritual  things.  Whence  it  is  plain,  that  we 
neither  ought  rashly  and  hastily  to  believe  every  man's 
doctrine,  nor  yet  rashly  and  unadvisedly  to  censure  and 
condemn  it,  till  it  be  heard  and  known  what  it  is  :  But  it 
is  a  christian's  duty  lo  prove  all  things,  and  to  holdfast  that 
-which  is  good,  upon  proof,  as  Paul  adviseth ;  wherefore 
John  also  adds  here,  But  try  the  spirits,  whether  they  be 
of  God. 

Whence  we  note,  that  christians  have  right  and  power 
to  try  and  judge  the  spirits  and  doctrines  of  their  teachers ; 
and  this  is  evident  by  many  plain  scriptures,  as, 

Matt.  vii.  15.  "  Beware  of  false  prophets  (saith  Christ  to 
the  faithful)  which  come  unto  you  in  sheep's  clothing, 
but  inwardly  they  are  ravening  wolves  ;  ye  shall  know 
them  bv  their  fruits." 


432  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

Matt.  xvi.  6.  "Jesus  said  to  them,  Take  he^d  and  be- 
ware of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  which  is  hypocrisy. 

Matt.  xxiv.  4.  "  Jesus  said,  Take  heed  that  no  man 
deceive  you  :  for  many  shall  come  in  my  name,  saying  I 
am  Christ,  and  shall  deceive  manv." 

John  X.  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  know  my  voice, 
and  a  stranger  will  they  not  hear,  but  flee  from  him,  for  they 
know  not  (that  is,  own  not)  the  voice  of  strangers.  And 
all  that  came  before  me  are  thieves  and  robbers,  but  the 
sheep  did  not  hear  them." 

By  all  which  scriptures,  and  many  more  that  might  be 
added,  it  is  manifest,  that  the  faithful,  the  true  sheep  of 
Christ,  have  right  and  power  to  judge  of  the  spirits  and 
doctrines  of  the  teachers. 

l^et  fathers,  schoolmen,  doctors,  councils,  assemblies 
of  divines,  universities,  ministers,  propound  and  publish 
what  doctrine  they  please,  the  sheep  of  Christ,  the  faith- 
ful flock,  have  power  and  authority  from  Christ  himself, 
to  try  and  judge,  whether  the  things  they  speak  be  of 
Christ,  or  of  themselves  and  of  antichrist.  And  this  power 
the  faithful  people  ought  not  to  part  with,  neither  for  any 
fear,  nor  for  any  favour. 

Yea,  it  most  nearly  concerns  the  faithful,  to  try  the 
spirits,  and  judge  the  doctrines  of  the  teachers,  for  these 
two  considerations  among  others. 

First,  Because  we  must  each  one  give  an  account  for 
ourselves  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ :  Wherefore 
it  concerns  every  one  of  us,  to  look  to  our  own  eternal  con- 
dition, and  not  to  leave  this  care  to  others  for  us.  In  death 
and  judgment,  each  one  must  answer  for  himself;  and  there- 
fore ^ve  ought  to  be  as  certain  of  the  word  of  God,  on  which 
we  build  our  immortal  souls,  as  we  are  sure  we  live,  and 
are  creatures  ;  we  ought,  I  say,  to  be  sure  ourselves,  and 
not  to  trust  any  body  for  us,  in  this  great  matter  whereon 
depends  either  eternal  life,  or  eternal  death. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  433 

Secondly,  It  concerns  us  to  try  the  spirits  and  doctrines, 
because  otherwise  we  may  easily  mistake,  and  instead  of 
antichrist  and  his  disciples,  dash  against  Christ  himself, 
and  his  precious  saints.  Yea,  we  have  seen  how  the  world 
and  worldly  church,  not  being  able  to  try  the  spirits  and 
doctrines,  have  contradicted  and  crucified  the  Son  of  God 
himself,  and  have  reproached  and  persecuted  all  his  people, 
who  are  baptized  into  one  spirit  with  him ;  and  doing 
this,  they  have  thought  they  have  done  God  good  service 
too ;  and  all  because  they  were  not  able  to  judge  of  the 
Spirit  and  truth  of  Christ  in  himself  and  his  members ; 
but  have  followed  the  judgment  and  counsel  of  the  chief 
guides  in  the  outward  church,  who  have  caused  them  to 
err,  and  to  mistake  truth  for  error,  and  error  for  truth, 
Christ  for  antichrist,  and  antichrist  for  Christ. 

Wherefore  it  concerns  every  one,  to  be  wise  to  salva- 
tion for  himself,  and  to  try  the  spirits  for  himself,  and 
not  to  content  himself  to  say,  thus  said  Augustine^  Ambrose, 
Hierom,  &c.  or  this  was  the  judgment  of  the  fathers,  or 
thus  have  the  councils  and  universities  determined,  or  thus 
do  our  ministers  teach  us  ;  but  if  thou  art  one  of  Christ's 
flock,  thou  must  have  skill  to  know  and  judge  for  thy- 
self, which  is  Christ's  Spirit  and  doctrine,  and  which  is 
antichrist's;  otherwise  thou  wilt  certainly  miscarry  in  this 
great  matter,  and  be  undone  for  ever.  If  thou  build  on 
men  in  these  things,  and  canst  not  judge  for  thyself,  thou 
wilt  be  sure  to  be  undone. 

But  now  this  power  of  trying  of  spirits,  and  judging 
doctrines,  which  Christ  hath  given  his  true  flock,  and 
which  they  ought  to  have  upon  so  good  grounds;  the 
teachers  of  the  false  and  antichristian  church,  that  is,  the 
common  clergy,  distinguished  by  several  names,  titles, 
and  degrees,  have  robbed  them  of;  and  have  falsely  and 
treacherously  arrogated  to  themselves,  the  power  of  try- 
ing spirits,  and  judging  doctrines  ;  and  have  said,  that  it 

3  I 


434  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

belongs  to  the  clergy  or  national  ministry,  and  their  coun- 
cils, and  assemblies  of  divines,  to  judge  of  spirits,  whe- 
ther they  be  right  or  false ;  and  to  judge  of  doctrines,  whe- 
ther they  be  agreeable  to  God's  word,  or  not ;  and  that  all 
christians  ought  to  expect  their  judgment  and  determina- 
tion, and  to  submit  to  it,  and  to  depend  on  it,  as  on  an 
oricle  from  heaven,  yea,  though  it  be,  not  only  without? 
but  also  against  their  own  particular  judgment. 

And  these  men  (I  mean  the  clergy)  through  the  eccle- 
siastical and  temporal  power  which  they  had  gotten,  have 
stricken  great  fear  into  the  whole  world,  and  have  misera- 
bly vexed  innumerable  consciences,  with  a  grievous  and 
lasting  bondage,  and  have  even  driven  them  to  dispair, 
whilst  none  durst  approve  or  own  any  spirit  or  doctrine, 
though  never  so  manifestly  of  Christ  and  his  gospel,  with- 
out their  allowance  and  approbation  ;  so  mightily  hath  the 
power  of  antichrist  prevailed  in  the  world,  and  that  against 
the  express  word  of  Christ. 

Now  the  ground  of  this  their  antichristlan  pride  and 
usurpation,  is  this,  that  they  arrogate  to  themselves,  that 
they  are  the  guides  and  shepherds  of  all  christian  men, 
and  are  to  teach  them  the  gospel,  which  they  are  only  to 
receive  from  their  lips ;  whereas  Christ  hath  promised  his 
true  church,  that  they  shall  be  all  taught  of  God,  and  shall 
hear  and  learn  themselves  from  the  Father,  and  hath  also 
promised  to  send  to  them  the  Spirit,  to  lead  them  in  all  truth, 
and  to  give  them  an  anointing,  to  teach  them  all  things. 

.  Now  they,  by  robbing  the  faithful  of  this  power,  and 
arrogating  it  to  themselves,  have  made  themselves,  con- 
trary to  Christ's  command,  lords  and  masters  in  the 
church  of  God,  and  have  usurped  to  themselves  superiority 
and  authority  over  other  believers,  and  have  subjected  all 
the  world  to  their  opinion  and  judgment  in  the  things  of 
God  :  by  which  means,  they  have  set  wide  open  the  flood- 
crates   to  antichrist   and  his  kingdom,  to  break  in  upon 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  435 

the  world,  and  to  overflow  it,  whilst  they  had  robbed  all 
christian  people  of  their  own  judgment  in  all  the  things 
of  God,  and  had  made  them  to  depend  wholly  on  the 
judgment  of  the  clergy. 

And  had  not  christian  people  thus  unchristianly  deliver- 
ed up  their  judgments  to  the  clergy,  and  that  in  the  very 
highest  points  of  religion,  Christianity  had  not  been  so 
miserably  blinded  and  corrupted  as  it  is,  and  the  mystery 
of  iniquity  had  not  so  much  prevailed  in  the  world,  as 
now  it  hath.  For  when  christians  would  not  try  the  spi- 
rits, whether  they  were  of  God,  and  the  doctrines,  whe- 
ther they  were  the  word  of  God  or  no,  but  thought  this 
a  matter  too  high  for  them,  and  would  refer  and  submit 
all  to  the  judgment  of  their  ministers  ;  then  antichrist 
(the  apostle  of  the  devil)  came  forth  boldly,  and  proudly 
exalted  himself  above  all  that  is  called  God  ;  and  his  king- 
dom, above  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  ;  having  first 
put  out  both  the  eyes  of  christians,  by  taking  away  from 
them  their  right  and  power  of  trying  spirits,  and  judging 
doctrines. 

But  when  true  christians  shall  search  the  scriptures  (as 
God  I  trust,  hath  now  fully  put  into  their  hearts  to  do) 
and  shall  justly  and  lawfully  take  to  themselves  the  power 
which  God  hath  given  them,  to  try  spirits  and  doctrines, 
then  antichrist,  and  his  agents,  the  carnal  clergy,  must 
soon  be  brought  down  :  for  the  faithful,  by  that  word 
shall  soon  perceive,  that  they  are  not  of  God,  nor  their 
doctrine  of  that  right  gospel,  which  is  after  the  mind  of 
Christ. 

Well  then,  by  what  hath  been  said,  you,  who  are  of 
Christ's  true  sheep,  may  perceive,  that  it  is  evident  by  the 
word,  that  faithful  christians  have  right  and  power  to  try 
spirits  and  doctrines,  though  antichrist,  for  many  ages,  hath 
robbed  them  of  this  privilege. 


436  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

For  (that  I  ma}?  speak  a  little  more  to  this  matter)  the 
trial  of  spirits  doth  unquestionably  belong  to  all  men  who 
have  received  the  Spirit  of  God :  for  to  this  Spirit  of  God 
which  dwells  in  the  faithful,  the  gift  of  discerning  spirits 
is  inseparably  annexed ;  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  which 
truly  dwells  in  all  true  christians,  cannot  deceive,  nor  be 
deceived  in  the  trial  of  spirits.  So  that  this  now  is  a 
common  grace,  that  in  some  measure  belongs  to  all  true 
christians,  who  have  received  the  unction  that  teacheth 
them  all  things,  and  is  true,  and  is  no  lie. 

And  though  there  be  in  the  church  diversities  of  gifts 
from  the  same  spirit,  which  are  given  to  some,  and  not  to 
others,  as  tongues,  and  interpretation  of  tongues,  and  mi- 
racles, and  gifts  of  healing,  &c.  mentioned  by  Paidj 
I  Cor,  xii.  yet  this  gift  of  trying  spirits,  is  given  to  all,  in 
some  measure,  that  have  received  the  Spirit.  For,  as  in 
the  natural  body  there  are  several  gifts  given  to  severai 
members,  which  are  not  given  to  all  the  members,  as  see- 
ing to  the  eye,  hearing  to  the  ear,  walking  to  the  foot,  &c. 
but  feeling  is  given  to  all  the  members ;  so  also  in  the 
body  of  Christ,  that  is,  the  spiritual  church,  several  gifts 
are  given  to  several  saints,  but  the  trial  of  spirits  and  doc- 
trines to  all  saints,  who  have  received  the  Spirit;  and  {/"any 
have  not  Chrisfs  Spirit^  he  is  none  of  his  ;  and  if  any  have 
Christ's  Spirit,  he  can,  in  some  measure,  discern  and  judge 
of  all  spirits  in  the  world :  and  the  more  any  man  receives 
Chris  's  Spirit,  the  more  able  is  he  to  judge  of  all  other 
spirits. 

Wherefore,  they  who  are  true  believers,  and  have  re- 
ceived Christ's  Spirit,  their  judgment  is  to  be  preferred  in 
the  trial  of  spirits,  before  the  judgment  of  a  whole  council 
of  clergymen. 

And  they  only,  who  can  try  spirits  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
and  doctrines  by  the  word  of  God,  written  in  their  hearts 
by  the  Spirit,  are  fit  to  commend  ministers  to  the  work  of 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  437 

God :  that  is,  the  congregations  of  the  faithful,  and  not 
universities,  and  assembhes  of  divines. 

And  thus  you  may  perceive,  that  seeing  many  false  pro- 
phets are  gone  out  into  the  worlds  it  concerns  the  faithful, 
as  they  tender  their  own  everlasting  salvation,  not  to  be- 
lieve every  spirit  that  speaks  of  Christ,  and  his  kingdom, 
and  his  things,  but  to  tiy  the  spirits y  whether  they  be  of 
God, 

Objection.  But  now  (it  may  be)  some  will  be  ready  to 
say.  We  ought  indeed  to  try  the  spirits,  seeing  there  are 
many  false  prophets  in  the  world ;  but  we  hope  there  iu*e 
no  such  persons  among  us,  but  only  some  upstart  men, 
with  their  new  light,  who,  with  their  novelties  and  fancies, 
trouble  the  nation,  and  would  fain  turn  all  things  upside 
down ;  and  we  know  these  well  enough  already,  and  do 
sufficiently  despise  them. 

Ajisxver.  It  is  very  like  you  do ;  but  yet  let  me  say  to 
you,  men,  brethren  and  fathers,  understand  yourselves, 
and  know  what  you  do  in  this  matter.  For  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  reformation  by  the  ministry  oi  Luther ^  Zuing- 
liusj  Calvin,  and  divers  others,  precious  servants  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  popish  clergy  applied  all  these  scriptures.  Try 
the  spirits  whether  they  be  of  God,  for  many  false  prophets 
are  gone  out  into  the  world;  and  beware  of  false  prophets, 
which  come  to  you  in  sheeps  clothing,  but  inxvardly  are 
ravening  wolves  ;  I  say,  these,  and  the  like  places  ©f  scrip- 
ture, they  applied  to  these  godly  men,  and  yet  they  them- 
selves were  the  false  prophets  indeed,  and  the  other,  whom 
they  termed  such,  were  true  ones.  Wherefore  it  is  possible 
for  you  to  be  mistaken  as  well  as  they ;  and  no  doubt  but 
you  will  be  mistaken,  except  the  Lord  be  gracious  unto 
you,  and  give  you  his  own  Spirit,  by  which  alone  you 
can  make  a  right  judgment  in  this  matter. 

Wherefore,  that  he  that  reads  may  understand,  you 
must  know,  that  the  false  prophets  are  not  so  easily  dis- 
cerned as  you  think  ;  for  they  seem  to  be  true  prophets , 


438  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS- 

and  godly,  holy,  learned,  orthodox  men,  men  of  eminence 
and  renown  in  church  and  state :  and  so,  to  flesh  and  blood» 
and  the  wisdom  and  religion  of  the  world,  it  will  be  a  dif- 
ficult, yea,  an  impossible  thing  to  find  them  out :  for  the 
false  prophets  have  several  glorious  veils  over  them,  to 
hide  and  obscure  them  from  common  knowledge. 

Wherefore  we  declare  unto  you  from  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  touching  these  false  prophets,  who  shall  do  so  much 
mischief, 

1.  That  they  shall  not  proceed,  or  come  forth  from 
among  the  Jews  or  Turks,  or  out  of  the  barbarous  na- 
tions ;  but  they  shall  arise  out  of  such  as  are  called  chris- 
tians. 

2.  Seeing,  among  christians,  some  are  openly  prophane 
and  evil,  others  seem  to  be  religious  and  godly ;  the  false 
prophets  shall  be  found  among  the  better  sort ;  and  there- 
fore, saith  Christ,  they  shall  come  in  sheeps  clothing,  as  if 
they  were  of  Christ's  own  flock  :  and  Faiil  saith,  they 
have  a  form  of  godliness,  that  is,  they  shall  be  painted 
over  gloriously,  with  all  appearances  of  truth,  righteous- 
ness, honesty,  goodness,  and  all  the  names  of  godliness. 

3.  Seeing  amongst  those  that  seem  to  be  the  better  sort 
of  christians,  some  give  themselves  to  the  ministry  of  the 
word,  and  some  do  not ;  the  false  prophet  shall  be  found 
among  those  christians  who  take  upon  themselves  to  be 
preachers,  as  Paul  testifies,  Acts  xx.  where,  having  called 
together  the  elders  and  teachers  of  the  church  of  Ephesus, 
he  saith  to  them,  ex  vobis  ipsis,  out  of  your  ownselves 
shall  men  arise,  speaking  perverse  things,  to  draw  away 
disciple's  after  them. 

4.  And  seeing,  among  those  who  are  ministers,  some 
are  light,  and  vain,  and  carnal,  and  formal  persons,  and 
others  are  men  of  great  worth  and  reputation,  and  seem 
to  be  the  precious  members  of  Christ,  and  even  pillars  in 
ihe   church,  so  that   the  common  people  think,  that  all 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  439 

religion  would  go  down  with  such  good  men,  they  having 
some  gifts  and  enhghtenings  of  the  Spirit,  and  seeming 
more  than  ordinarily  godly,  religious,  wise,  holy,  sober, 
devout;  now  the  false  prophets  shall  be  found  among 
these.  And  as  they  who  opposed  Christ  at  his  first  com- 
ing in  the  flesh,  seemed  more  wise,  and  holy,  and  emi- 
nent in  the  church  than  the  rest,  as  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees, who  sat  in  Moses^  chair,  and  had  the  outward  letter 
of  the  word  in  all  exactness,  and  the  outward  form  of  reli* 
gion  in  all  strictness ;  so  they,  who  do,  and  shall  most  op- 
pose Christ  in  his  coming  in  his  Spirit,  and  shall  contra- 
dict his  word,  and  resist  his  servants  and  witnesses  of  his 
truth,  do,  and  shall  appear  more  wise,  holy,  learned,  and 
godly,  than  the  rest  of  the  teachers  of  the  church. 

And  thus  you  see,  that  the  false  prophets  of  antichrist 
shall  arise  among  christians,  and  among  such  christians  as 
seem  to  be  godly  ;  and  among  such  seeming  godly  chris- 
tians as  preach  the  word ;  and  among  such  preachers  of 
the  word  as  seem  to  be  of  greater  worth  and  eminence 
than  the  rest :  and  so  in  all  these  respects  it  will  be  a  hard 
matter  to  discern  them. 

2.  Again,  such  persons,  of  such  appearance  of  worth 
and  holiness  as  these,  do  usually  get  to  their  side,  the 
greatest  and  highest  persons  in  the  kingdoms  and  nations, 
and  do  obtain,  not  only  their  countenance  and  favour,  but 
also  their  power  and  authority  for  themselves. 

3.  By  both  these  means  (to  wit,  their  seeming  holiness, 
and  their  interest  with  worldly  powers)  they  exceedingly 
enlarge  their  credit  and  reputation  with  the  world,  and  do 
get  multitudes  of  people  and  nations  to  entertain  them. 

For  antichrist  could  not  deceive  the  \^'orld  with  a  com- 
pany of  foolish,  weak,  ignorant,  prophane,  contemptible 
persons,  but  he  always  hath  the  greatest,  wisest,  holiest, 
and  most  eminent  in  the  visable  church  for  him ;  and  by 


440  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

these  he  seduces  and  subjects  to  himself,  even  tlie  whole 
world. 

Besides,  they  that  are  against  him  and  his  false  pro- 
phets, are  but  a  very  handful  of  saints,  who  have  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  and  through  his  Spirit  discern  them,  and 
oppose  them,  and  for  so  doing  are  despised  and  hated  of 
all  the  world. 

Wherefore  it  ia  a  harder  matter  to  try  these  false  pro 
phets,  than  we  are  well  aware  of.     And  yet,  as  hard  as  it 
is,  the  Apostle,   by  tlie  Spirit,  hath  given  us  a  manifest 
and  certain  rule  of  trial :  and  this  is  the  third  general  thing 
1  named. 

THE  THIRD  POINT. 

To  wit.  The  sufficient  rule,  whereby  the  true  church 
may  thoroughly  try  the  spirits  and  prophets,  how  cunning- 
ly and  subtilly  soever  they  are  disguised ;  and  this  he  lays 
down,  yerse  3. 

Hereby  know  xve  the  Spirit  of  God ;  every  spirit  that 
con/esseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  jie shy  is  of  God; 
and  every  Spirit  that  confe&seth  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
come  in  the  Jlesh,  is  not  of  God  ;  ^c. 

Now  this  scripture  we  may  understand  two  ways. 

1.  Of  a  right  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  in  his  own 
person.  # 

2.  Of  a  true  receiving  of  this  Christ  into  us  by  faith. 
1.  Of  the  right  knowledge  of  Christ  in  his  own  per- 
son. 

1.  For  whereas  ^le  saith.  Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  Jiesh,  &c,  this  gives  us  to  un- 
derstand that  he  i-  true  God,  and  was  before  he  came  into 
the  flesh. 

2.  Whereas  he  saith,  Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that 
Christ  is  come  in  the  fiesh;  this  gives  us  to  understand 
that  he  is  true  man,  our  very  brother,  partaker  of  the  same 
flesh  and  blood  with  us. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  441 

3.  Whereas  he  saith,  every  spirit  that  confesseth  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  come  171  the  Jiesh  See.  this  also  gives  us  to 
understand,  that  in  him,  true  God  and  true  man  are  united 
into  one  inseparable  person. 

4  Whereas  he  saith,  everij  spirit  that  confesseth  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  Jiesh,  Sec.  tliis  gives  us  occa- 
sion to  consider  the  end  of  his  coming  ;  seeing  God  did 
not  become  man  in  vain,  or  for  some  shght  cause ;  but 
that  he  might  redeem  unto  God,  and  save  perfectly,  from 
the  la'.v,  sin,  death,  and  hell :  And  hence  we  may  rise  up 
to  conceive  of  his  offices,  to  wit,  of  his  priestly,  pro- 
phetical, and  kingly  office,  and  of  the  infinite  virtue  and 
efficacy  of  them. 

Now  he  that  makes  this  confession  of  Jesus  Christ,  from 
the  revelation  of  the  Father,  is  of  God  ;  and  he  that  speaks 
otherwise,  is  not  of  God. 

2.  But  secondly,  we  may  understand  this  scripture, 
not  only  of  the  true  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  but  also 
and  especially  of  the  true  receiving  of  him  by  faith: 
JEvery  spirit^  saith  he,  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  come  in  the  fie  sh^  is  ay  God:  that  is,  he  is  of  God,  that 
believes  and  acknowledges  that  the  Son  of  the  living  God 
is  come,  not  only  into  that  humanity  of  Christ  that  was 
born  of  the  Virgin,  but  also,  that  he  is  come  into  us,  and 
dwells  in  us ;  according  to  these  scriptures ;  That  Christ 
may  divellinyour  hearts  hy  faith:  And  Christ  in  you,  the 
hope  of  glory :  And  know  ye  not,  that  Christ  is  in  you, 
except  you  be  reprobates^  &c.  Wherefore  the  true  pro- 
phets do  not  only  acknowledge  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come 
into  his  own  flesh,  but  also  into  theirs,  which  by  this  means 
is  made  his;  and  that  Christ  is  in  them  of  a  truth,  and 
dwells  in  them. 

For  antichrist  himself,  and  his  ministers,  do  all  acknow« 
ledge,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  into  that  flesh  which  he 
did  assume  of  the  Virgin,  but  thev  will  not  confess  that 

3K 


442  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

this  is  true  in  him,  and  in  us :  They  will  acknowledge 
the  mystery  of  God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  as  to  Christ 
the  head,  but  they  will  deny  it,  as  to  the  church  his  body : 
and  so,  whilst  they  separate  the  head  from  the  body,  and 
the  body  from  the  head  in  this  mystery,  they  do  solvere 
Jesiim^  they  dissolve  Jesus. 

I  say,  some  hold,  that  the  eternal  Word,  or  divine  na- 
ture, came  indeed  into  that  flesh  which  was  born  of  the 
blessed  Virgin,  but  they  will  by  no  means  allow  it  to  come 
into  ours,  through  our  union  with  him  by  faith ;  only  they 
say,  some  created  habits  or  gifts  of  grace  come  into  us, 
or  in  our  flesh,  but  not  Christ  himself,  or  the  divine  na- 
ture, or  Son  of  the  living  God.  And  so  these  men  set  up 
these  created  gifts  and  graces  in  the  members,  instead  of 
Christ  himself  the  head. 

And  yet  these  teachers  make  a  glorious  shew  in  the  flesh; 
and  this  is  antichrist,  to  wit,  when  men  think  that  these 
created  habits  of  grace  (which  they  fancy)  will  renew, 
comfort,  sanctify,  and  save  them  ;  and  so  do  make  to 
themselves  of  them  a  glorious,  but  yet  a  false  Christ. 

Wherefore  let  us  know,  that  he  that  denies  Jesus  Christ 
in  the  members,  is,  though  not  so  great,  yet  as  true  an- 
tichrist, as  he  that  denies  Jesus  Christ  in  the  head  :  and 
he  that  denies  Christ  dwelling  in  our  hearts  by  faith,  to 
be,  and  to  be  alone  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification, 
and  redemption  to  us,  as  he  that  denies  him  to  be  the 
power,  wisdom,  and  righteousness  of  God  in  himself. 

The  sum  of  the  matter  is  this,  that  the  true  Spirits  or 
prophets  do  acknowledge,  not  only  that  Christ,  the  Son  of 
the  living  God,  is  come  into  that  Son  of  man  which  was 
born  of  the  blessed  Virgin ;  but  also  that  Christ  is  come; 
into  them,  and  dwells  in  them,  as  in  his  own  true  and 
proper  members. 

And  so,  he  that  hath  Jesus  Christ  dwelling  in  his  heart, 
is  a  true  prophet ;    and  he  that  hath  not  Christ  dwelling 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  44:^ 

in  his  heart,  is  a  false  prophet,  though  his  knowledge 
and  rehgion  be  never  so  high,  and  glorious,  and  holy  also 
in  the  opinion  of  the  world.  And  this  is  the  chief  sign 
and  mark,  whereby  we  may  know  the  true  prophets  and 
true  christians,  from  the  false  prophets  and  false  christians. 

Objection.  Now  if  any  shall  say,  but  how  shall  we  know 
whether  a  man  hath  Christ  dwelling  in  his  heart  or  no  ? 
and  so  consequently,  whether  he  be  a  true  or  false  prophet? 

I  answer,  You  shall  certainly  know  it,  by  the  truth  of 
the  word  of  Christ,  in  reference  to  his  office  in  the  word. 

1.  First  then,  the  true  prophets  are  to  be  discerned  from 
the  false. 

By  the  truth  of  the  word  of  God  in  them. 

For  the  true  prophets  speak  the  true  word  of  God,  even 
the  word  of  wisdom,  the  word  of  righteousness,  the  word 
of  life,  the  word  of  power,  the  word  that  is  able  to  save, 
which  is  the  true  gospel  word.  For  this  is  the  covenant 
that  God  hath  made  with  Christ  and  his  seed,  saying, 
Isaiah  lix.  21.  My  Spirit^  which  is  upon  thee,  and  my  word 
which  is  in  thy  mouth,  shall  never  depart  out  of  thy  mouthy 
no?  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of 
thy  seeds  seed,frcm  henceforth  and  for  ever. 

And  this  was  perfectly  fulfilled  in  Christ ;  for  that  word 
which,  in  the  beginning  was  with  God,  and  was  God, 
was  made  flesh  in  him,  and  dwelt  in  him  ;  and  out  of  that 
word,  Jesus  Christ  spake  all  that  ever  he  spake ;  his  whole 
doctrine  did  flow  from  that  eternal  Word  which  dwelt  in 
him. 

And  Christ  communicated  to  the  disciples  the  same 
word  which  he  had  received,  as  he  saith,  John  xvii.  8.  / 
have  gaven  to  the7n  the  words  that  thougivest  me,  (that  is, 
the  words  of  righteousness  and  life)  and  they  have  received 
them  and  have  known  surely,  that  1  came  out  from  thee  ; 
and  they  have  believed  that  thou  didst  send  me;  and  so  that 
word,  which  they  themselves  received  by  faith,  they  also 


444  THE   TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

held  forth  to  others,  as  John  saith,  1  John  i.  1.  That  which 
•was  from  the  beginning,  which  we  have  heard,  which  we 
have  seen  with  our  eyes,  which  we  have  looked  upon,  and 
our  hands  have  handled  of  the  word  of  life,  declare  we  unto 
you. 

And  to  this  also  John  the  Baptist  gives  testimony,  John 
iii.  34.  Where  he  saith,  He  whom  God  hath  sent,  speaketJi 
the  woT'ds  of  God;  not  the. words  of  men,  or  angels,  but 
of  God  :  and  this  is  true,  both  in  Christ,  and  in  his  seed. 

But  now  the  false  propliets  speak  n(^t  the  word  of  God, 
for  they  have  it  not  in  their  hearts  ;  but  what  word  they 
have  in  their  hearts,  that  they  speak ;  and  so  they  speak 
the  words  of  their  own  reason,  wisdom,  and  righteousness, 
or  of  other  mens  ;  but  beyond  human  things  they  do  not 
go,  whether  they  pretend  to  high  notions  on  the  one  hand, 
or  to  sound  orthodox  doctrine  on  the  other  hand. 

Now  of  this,  true  christians  are  to  take  special  notice  ; 
because,  as  the  true  word  of  God  is  tlie  greatest  commo- 
dity to  the  church  that  can  be,  and  brings  the  presence 
of  Christ,  and  all  the  things  of  Christ  along  with  it;  so 
the  word  of  man  is  the  greatest  mischief  to  the  church 
that  can  be  ;  for  it  brings  antichrist,  and  his  kingdom, 
and  all  his  things  along  with  it.  And  thus  doth  vain 
philosophy,  and  school  divinity  (which  is  an  unlawful 
mixing  of  philosophy  Avith  the  outward  letter  of  the  word) 
pervert  all  things  in  the  church  of  carnal  and  false  chris- 
tians. 

2.  As  the  true  prophets  speak  the  true  word  of  God, 
so  also  they  speak  it  by  the  true  Spirit  of  God,  and  not 
by  their  own  spirit  :  and  thus  did  Christ,  who  saith  of 
himself.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  for  he  hath 
anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel;  and  so  he  spake  the  word 
of  God,  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

And  Christ  commanded  his  disciples  to  stay  at  Jerusa- 
lem till  they  had  received  the  Spirit,  and  then  to  go  forth 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  445 

and  preach ;  because  he  knew  they  could  not  preach  God's 
word  aright,  without  God's  Spirit  ;  and  also  Christ  saith 
of  all  the  faithful,  that  it  is  not  they  that  speak ,  but  the 
Spirit  of  their  Father  that  speaks  in  them;  yea,  and  the 
^vhole  gospel  is  called,  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit. 

Now  the  true  prophets,  speaking  the  word  of  God,  by 
and  in  his  Spirit,  do  also  speak  it  in  the  right  sense,  and 
after  the  true  mind  of  Christ ;  as  Paul  saith  of  himself, 
and  of  other  believers,  who  had  received  the  Spirit,  IFe 
have  tne  mind  of  Christ. 

But  the  ialse  prophets,  though  they  speak  the  word  of 
the  letter  exactly,  and  that  according  to  the  very  original, 
and  curiosity  of  criticisms,  yet  speaking  it  without  the 
Spirit,  they  are  false  prophets  before  God,  and  his  true 
church  ;  seeing  all  right  prophecy  hath  proceeded  from 
the  Spirit  in  all  ages  of  the  world,  but  especially  it  must 
so  proceed  in  the  days  of  the  New- Testament,  wherein 
God  hath  promised  the  largest  effusion  of  his  Spirit. 

And  they,  speaking  the  w^ord  of  the  letter  without  the 
Spirit,  do  wholly  mistake  the  mind  of  Christ  in  all ;  and 
under  the  outward  letter  of  the  word  of  God,  do  only 
bring  in  the  mind  of  man.  And  this  is  one  of  the  greatest 
delusions,  and  most  mischievous  snares  that  can  be  laid  in 
the  church,  to  bring  in  the  word  of  Christ  without  the 
mind  of  Christ,  yea,  to  bring  in  the  word  of  Christ  against 
the  mind  of  Christ,  and  according  to  the  mind  of  anti- 
christ :  this  is  the  effectual  operation  of  error,  whereby 
all  hypocrites  and  false  christians  are  deceived,  and  that 
without  all  hope  of  recovery. 

And  thus  you  see,  that  the  true  prophets  bring  the 
true  word,  and  bring  it  also  by  the  true  Spirit,  and  this 
manifests  them  to  be  of  God  :  but  the  false,  either  bring 
^jf  not  the  true  word,  or  if  they  bring  the  word  in  the  letter, 
yet  they  bring  it  without  the  Spirit,  and  thus  it  is  mani- 
fest, they  are  not  of  God. 


446  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

Objection.  But  some  will  object  here ;  If  a  man  preach 
the  word  in  the  letter,  even  good,  sound,  and  orthodox 
doctrine,  no  doubt  but  such  a  man  is  to  be  heard,  and 
he  may  do  much  good  in  the  church,  though  he  want 
Christ's  Spirit :  This  I  heard  from  very  many,  who  have 
thought  they  have  said  something. 

But  to  this  I  answer :  That  they  who  want  Christ's 
Sjiirit,  Avhich  is  the  Spirit  of  prophecy,  though  they  preach 
the  exact  letter  of  the  word,  yet  are  false  prophets,  and 
not  to  be  heard  by  the  sheep. 

1.  Because  under  the  New-Testament  we  are  not  to 
regard  the  letter  without  the  Spirit,  but  the  Spirit  as  well 
as  the  letter  ;  yea,  the  Spirit  more  than  the  letter  :  and 
therefore  Paul  saith,  that  Christ  shall  destroy  antichrist 
with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  the  brightness  of  his 
coming  :  he  scarce  takes  any  notice  of  the  letter,  but  calls 
the  true  preaching  of  the  gospel,  the  Spirit,  or  Christ's 
mouth,  or  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit.  And  therefore 
the  spiritual  people  cannot  join  to  that  ministry,  where  tlie 
Spirit  of  Christ  is  Avanting,  though  there  be  the  outward 
letter  of  the  word  in  it. 

2.  They  that  preach  only  the  outward  letter  of  the 
word,  Avithout  the  true  Spirit,  they  make  all  things  out- 
ward in  the  church,  and  so  carry  the  people,  with  whom 
they  prevail,  only  to  outward  things,  to  an  outward  word, 
to  outward  worship,  outward  ordinances,  outward  church, 
outward  government,  &c.  whereas,  in  the  true  kingdom 
of  Christ,  all  things  are  inward  and  spiritual ;  and  all  the 
true  religion  of  Christ  is  written  in  the  soul  and  Spirit  of 
man,  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  and  the  believer  is  the  only 
book,  in  which  God  himself  writes  his  New- Testament. 

3.  They  who  preach  the  outward  letter  of  the  word, 
though  ncA  er  so  truly,  without  the  Spirit,  do  (as  hadi 
been  said)  wholly  mistake  the  mind  of  Christ  in  the  word, 
for  want  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the   only  true  and  infal- 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  447 

lible  interpreter  of  his  mind  ;  and  so,  under  the  outward 
letter  of  the  ^^  ord,  preach  their  own  mind,  and  not 
Christ's  mind  ;  and  do  make  all  the  scriptures  serve  their 
own  turns,  even  their  own  worldly  ends  and  advantages, 
and  nothing  else. 

4.  They  that  preach  the  outward  letter  of  the  word, 
without  the  Spirit,  can,  with  such  a  word,  both  live  them- 
selves, in  all  the  inward  evils  of  corrupted  nature,  and  al- 
low others  to  do  so  too.  And  thus  the  gospel,  which,  in 
the  Spirit  of  it,  is  the  judgment  of  sin,  is  made,  in  the 
letter  of  it,  the  covering  for  sin,  and  the  encourager  of  it : 
seeing  such  men,  who  have  the  letter  of  the  word  in  their 
mouth,  do  live  in  the  inward  corruptions  of  their  hearts, 
more  securely  and  quietly  than  other  men. 

5.  Last  of  all,  let  us  know,  that  whoever  doth  agree 
with  Christ  never  so  exactly  in  the  letter,  and  yet  differs 
from  him  in  Spirit,  is  very  antichrist.  And  therefore, 
when  the  devils,  in  him  that  was  possessed,  said  to  Christ, 
We  know  thee  who  thou  art.,  the  holy  one  of  God,  and  so 
agreed  very  exactly  with  the  gospel  in  the  letter;  yet 
Christ  forbad  them  to  speak,  because  they  spake  not  by  a 
right  spirit.  And  Christ  hath  said,  Whoever  is  not  with 
me  (that  is,  in  the  Spirit)  is  against  me.,  though  he  have 
the  same  outward  letter  of  the  word  w  ith  him.. 

And  so,  as  Christ  builds  up  his  church,  by  his  Spirit, 
through  his  word ;  so  antichrist  builds  up  his  church  by 
the  word  without  the  Spirit :  and  Christ's  church  and 
antichrist's  do  often  differ  very  little  or  nothing  in  word  or 
letter,  yet  do  always  infinitely  differ  in  Spirit. 

Wherefore  to  conclude,  let  us  know,  that  that  church 
that  hath  the  word,  if  it  wants  the  Spirit,  is  antichrist's 
church ;  and  that  that  ministry  that  useth  the  word,  and 
wants  the  Spirit,  is  antichrist's  ministry ;  and  that  all 
works,  duties,  prayings,  preaching,  fasting,  thanksgiv- 
ing, &c.  without   Christ's  Spirit,  are   nothing  but   the 


448  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

very  kingdom  of  antichrist,  and  the  abomination  of  de- 
solation. 

And  so  I  proceed  to  the  second  general  rule  of  triaf 
which  I  propounded,  whereby  we  may  discern  the  true 
prophets  of  Christ,  from  the  false  prophets  of  antichrist, 
and  that  is  : 

By  tfie  truth  of  the  life  of  Christ,  in  reference  to  his 
ofSce  in  the  word. 

And  here  I  shall  give  you  many  trials,  how  you  may 
certainly  know  and  discern  the  false  prophets  of  antichrist 
from  the  true,  humble,  and  faithful  ministers  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

And  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  before  whom  we  are  all 
present  this  day,  and  before  whose  tribunal  we  shall  all 
be  judged,  he  knows,  that  I  shall  not  purposely  speak 
any  thing  at  this  time,  either  to  please  myself,  or  to  dis- 
please you ;  but  I  shall  desire  to  speak  all  out  of  very 
faithfulness  to  him,  who  hath  remembered  7ne  when  I  was 
in  low  condition,  for  his  mercy  endurethfor  ever. 

The  first  sign,  then,  whereby  the  true  prophets  may  be 
discerned  from  the  false,  is  this  : 

First,  the  true  prophets  are  all  sent  of  God.  So  was 
Moses,  whom  God  sent  to  the  children  of  Israel,  and  bid 
him  tell  them,  th^t  I  AM,  even  the  God  of  Abraham^ 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  had  sent  him  to  them ;  and  he  gave  him 
a  proportionable  measure  of  his  presence,  to  cause  them  to 
believe  it.  And  Christ,  a  greater  prophet  than  Moses, 
even  the  head  of  all  the  children  of  God,  said  by  Isaiah, 
chap,  xlviii.  16.  "  Come  ye  near  unto  me,  hear  ye  this;  I 
have  not  spoken  in  secret  from  the  beginning,  and  now 
the  Lord  and  his  Spirit  hath  sent  me."  And  every  where 
in  the  gospel,  he  still  declares,  how  he  came  not  of  him- 
self, but  his  Father  sent  him. 

And  as  the  Father  sent  Christ,  so  Christ  sends  all  his 
seed,  the  true  ministers   of  the  gospel,  as  is  manifest, 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  449 

John  XX.  21.  where  CLiist  saith  to  his  disciples,  as  my  Fa- 
ther sent  }}ie,  so  send  I  you  ;  wh.ch  he  spake,  not  only 
touching  them,  but  touching  all  that  should  believe  in  his 
name  through  their  word  ;  and  Paul  ;.oO  saith,  Rom.  x. 
15.  How  shall  they  teach  except  they  be  sent  ?  So  that 
true  preaching  comes  from  true  sending,  and  this  comes 
from  the  grace  of  God. 

Now  I  desire  you  farther  to  take  notice,  that  God  hath 
reckoned  the  choice  of  his  ministers,  one  of  the  weightiest 
things  that  belong  unto  his  kingdom  ;  wherefore  he  would 
never  commit  the  trust  of  this  to  any  sort  of  men  what- 
soever. Yea,  Christ  himself  did  not  choose  his  disciples 
at  his  own  human  will,  but  only  at  the  will  of  God,  and 
therefore  was  much  in  prayer  before  he  chose  them. 

And  the  apostles  themselves,  durst  not  of  themselves, 
when  they  were  all  met  together,  choose  any  one  into  the 
room  o^  Judas,  but  they  betook  themselves  to  prayer,  and 
desired  the  Lord  to  shew  them  whom  He  had  chosen.  And 
Acts  xiii.  The  Spirit  said,  separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul 
for  the  work  whereunto  I  have  called  them.  And  Paul 
tells  the  Galatians,  that  he  was  an  apostle,  not  of  men,  nor 
by  men,  hut  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  God  the  Father, 

By  all  which  scriptures  we  may  perceive  what  care  the 
Lord  hath  always  had,  to  send  his  o\vn  ministers  himself 
into  his  own  church,  and  would  have  his  true  church  re» 
ceive  no  ministers  but  such  as  he  sends  them. 

And  the  great  and  chief  sending  into  the  church  is  from 
God  himself,  as  we  see  in  Moses,  and  all  the  prophets, 
and  in  Christ  himself  the  head  of  them,  and  in  all  the 
apostles,  and  in  all  believers. 

Now  the  proof  a  man's  being  sent  of  God,  is  this,  to  be 
anointed  with  the  Spirit :  as  John  xx.  22.  When  Christ 
said  to  his  disciples,  As  my  Father  sent  me,  so  send  I  you: 
He  breathed  upon  them,  and  said,  Receive  the  holy  Spirit  ■ 


450  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

For  his  Father  sent  him  only  by  pouring  out  his  Spirit  on 
him ;  and  he  sends  them  so  only ;  and  he  that  saith,  The 
unction  of  the  Spirit  alone  is  not  sufficient  for  the  ministry 
of  the  New  Testament,  he  denies  Christ  and  his  apostles 
to  have  been  sufficient  ministers,  and  he  perverts  the  scrip- 
ture, and  seduces  the  people. 

Now  the  true  teachers,  through  the  pouring  forth  of  the 
Spirit  on  them,  they  do  truly  know  Christ  himself,  and 
the  great  mystery  of  the  gospel,  and  all  things  that  are 
freely  given  us  of  God ;  and  they  are  also  filled  with  love 
to  their  brethren,  and  are  enabled  to  confess  the  truth,  and 
to  do  thereafter,  and  to  contemn  the  world,  and  patiently 
to  suffer  rebukes,  &c.  all  which,  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  any 
one's  being  sent  of  God. 

And  thus  the  true  prophets  are  all  sent  of  God,  which 
is  tl}eir  great  comfort  and  support  in  all  trouble  and  diffi- 
culties; because  he  that  sends  them,  is  still  with  them. 
Xo,  saith  Christ,  I  am  xvith  you  always.,  to  the  endofthe 
•world. 

But  now,  on  the  contrary,  the  false  prophets  and  minis- 
ters of  antichrist,  are  not  sent  of  God,  but  are  sent  and  ap- 
pointed  by  men,  and  that  through  their  own  desire,  and 
seeking.  And  of  such  the  Lord  complains,  Jer,  xxiii.  21. 
**  I  have  not  sent  these  prophets,  yet  they  ran ;  I  have  not 
spoken  to  them,  yet  they  prophesied  :  but  because  I  sent 
them  not,  neither  commanded  them,  they  shall  not  profit 
this  people  at  all,  saith  the  Lord,"  Ver.  32. 

And  Christ  saith,  Many  false  christs,,  and  false  prophets, 
shall  arise:  that  is, 'are  not  sent  of  God,  but  shall  arise  of 
themselves.  And  Paul  saith  to  the  elders  of  the  church 
of  Ephesusy  Acts  xx.  "  Out  of  yourselves  shall  men  arise, 
speaking  perverse  things,  to  draw  disciples  after  them. 
They  arise  of  themselves,  they  are  not  sent  of  God. 

Now  such  teachers  as  these  do  usually  spring  up  in  the 
church,  through  academical  degrees,   and   ecclesiastical 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  451 

ordination  ;  which  two  things  have  poured  forth  into  the 
church,  whole  swarms  of  false  prophets,  and  autichristian 
ministers,  never  sent  of  God,  nor  anointed  of  his  Spirit ; 
to  the  irreparable  damage,  prejudice,  and  ruin,  of  the  peo- 
ple and  nations  who  have  received  them,  with  tlieir  false 
and  poisonous  doctrine. 

Wherefore,  all  those  teachers  who  are  not  sent  of  the 
Lord  and  his  Spirit,  but  arise  of  themselves,  and  come 
into  the  church  in  the  strength  and  might  of  their  degrees 
and  orders,  they  are  all  false  prophets. 

THE  SECOND  SIGN. 

The  true  prophets,  who  are  sent  of  God,  take  all 
their  warrant  and  authority  from  God  for  what  they 
teach,  and  do  not  at  all  regard  men,  or  build  on  them. 
And  this  hath  all  along  made  the  true  teachers  so  bold, 
and  so  confident,  in  the  name  of  God,  against  the  world 
and  worldly  church :  So  Isaiah  1.  4,  &c.  saith.  The  Lord 
God  hath  given  me  the  tongue  of  the  learned,  that  I  should 
know  how  to  speak  a  word  in  due  season  to  him  that  is 
weary  ;  he  wakeneth  morning  by  morning  ;  he  wakeneth 
my  ear  to  hear  as  the  learned. 

The  Lord  hath  opened  mine  ear ,  and  I  was  not  rebellious, 
neither  turned  away  back. 

For  the  Lord  God  will  help  me,  therefore  shall  I  not  be 
confounded  ;  therefore  have  I  set  my  face  as  afint,  and  I 
know  I  shall  not  be  ashamed. 

He  is  near  that  justifies  me  ;  who  will  contend  with  me  ? 
Let  us  stand  together  ;  who  is  mine  adversary  P  Let  him 
come  near  me. 

Behold,  the  Lord  will  help  me  ;  who  is  he  that  shall 
condemn  me  ?  Lo,  they  all  shall  wax  old  as  a  garment,  the 
moth  shall  eat  them  up.  See  here  the  admirable  confidence 
of  a  teacher  sent  from  God. 

And  so  also  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  days  of  his 
flesh ;   how  bold  was  he  in  his  ministry,  coming  in  the 


452  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

name  of  the  Lord,  and  having  his  authority  and  doctrine 
from  him  !  How  boldly  did  he  reprove  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  the  chief  teachei's  of  the  Jewish  church  !  And 
what  a  clear  and  glorious  confession  of  the  truth  of  God, 
did  he  hold  forth  against  all  their  opposition  and  con- 
tradiction ! 

And  the  apostles,  when  the  rulers,  elders,  and  scribes, 
and  Annas  the  high  priest,  and  Caiaphas,  and  John,  and 
Alexander',  and  ail  the  kindred  of  the  high  priest,  were  ga- 
thered together,  and  threatened  them,  and  straitly  charged 
them  to  preach  no  more  in  that  name ;  they  answered. 
Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  hearken  unto  you, 
more  thaji  unto  God,  judge  ye:  For  we  caniiot  but  speak 
the  thiJigs  which  we  have  seen  and  heard.     Acts  iv.  19. 

And  so  Wickliffe,  John  Hus,  and  Luther,  who  were 
sent  of  God,  did  take  all  their  authority  from  God  alone, 
and  so  were  bold  and  confident,  each  ofthem  in  their  time, 
against  the  whole  world. 

But  now  the  false  prophets,  who  come  of  themselves, 
and  by  the  sending  of  men,  they  do  all  by  the  authority 
and  warrant  of  man  ;  and  accordingly,  do  join  themselves 
together  by  secular  power,  to  bring  about  their  doctrines 
and  designs  in  the  church ;  and  from  the  civil  authority, 
they  procure  leave  and  power  to  publish  their  doctrine, 
and  set  up  their  discipline  in  the  church,  and  to  suppress 
whatever  is  contrary  diereto  ;  and  without  this  worldly 
license  and  authority,  they  neither  can  nor  dare  do  any 
thing :  and  are  never  bold,  but  when  the  authority  of 
man  is  for  them.  But  the  true  prophets  (as  hath  been 
said)  do  only  take  their  authority  from  Christ  for  what 
they  teach,  and  are  bold  in  his  name  only,  to  hold  it 
forth  :  and  so,  after  they  have  published  the  word  in  faith, 
in  the  same  faith  they  leave  the  maintenance  and  defend- 
ing of  it  to  him  alone,  whose  word  it  is  ;  and  they  neither 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  453 

publish  it  for  man's  commanding,  nor  smother  it  for  man's 
forbidding. 

Wherefore  those  teachers,  who  have  not  their  warrant 
from  Christ,  for  their  doctrine,  and  are  not  bold  in  his 
name  alone,  but  do  derive  all  their  authority  and  encou- 
ragement from  men,  to  speak  and  act  in  the  things  of  God, 
they  are  all  false  prophets,  and  ministers  of  antichrist. 
THE  THIRD  SIGN. 

The  true  and  faithful  teachers,  a^  they  are  sent  of  God, 
and  take  their  authority  from  God ;  so,  in  all  their  doctrine, 
they  only  hold  forth  Jesus  Christ.  And  tliis  they  have 
learned  from  God  himself. 

For  the  Fatlier,  speaking  immediately  from  heaven, 
preached  nothing  but  Christ,  saying,  This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased,  hear  him:  and  this  he 
spake  thrice,  from  the  excellent  glory ;  manifesting,  that 
he  himself  had  no  higher  thing,  nor  any  other  thing  to  de- 
clare to  the  world,  than  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom 
alone  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  all  true  and  spiritual  wis- 
dom and  knowledge. 

The  Son  also,  in  all  his  ministry,  only  declared  who  him- 
self was,  whom  the  Father  had  given  to  the  elect  church  ; 
saying,  Psal.  ii.  1  will  publish  the  decree,  whereof  the  Lord 
hath  said  unto  hie,  Thou  art  my  Son^  this  day  have  I  be- 
gotten thee :  And  in  all  his  ministry,  only  declared  who 
he  Avas,and  to  what  end  his  Father  had  given  him  :  saying, 
1  am  the  bread  of  life,  which  cometh  down  from  heaven; 
he  that  cometh  to  me,  shall  7iever  hunger  ;  and  he  that  be- 
lieveth  in  me,  shall  never  thirst.  And,  /  am  the  way,  the 
truth,  ajM  the  life  ;  no  man  cometh  to  the  Father,  but  by 
me :  And  all  his  doctrine  and  works  were  to  this  end,  that 
we  might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God ;  and  that 
believing  in  him,  we  might  have  eternal  life. 

The  Apostles  also  of  the  Lord,  after  they  had  received 
the  Spirit,  did  go  up  and  down  the  world,  only  preach- 


■^, 


454  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

ing  Jesus,  and  repentance,  and  remission  of  sins  in  his 
name.* 

And  Paulj  a  laborious  preacher,  through  the  grace  of 
God  did  renounce  and  reject  all  his  worldly  learning,  and 
ill  his  human  accomplishments  and  excellencies  in  the 
ministry  of  the  gospel,  and  preached  nothing  but  the  right 
knowledge  of  Christ,  and  right  faith  in  him,  as  he  him- 
self testifies,  Phil.  iii.  7,  &c.  saying,  "  What  things  were 
gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ ;  yea  doubtless, 
and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  my  Lord,  for  whom  I  have  suf- 
fered the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung, 
that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  not  having 
mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which 
is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is 
of  God  by  faith :  That  I  may  know  him,  and  the  power  of 
his  resurrection,  and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  and 
be  made  conformable  to  him  in  his  death,  if  by  any  means 
I  might  attain  to  the  resurrection  from  the  dead." 

And  he  also  tells  the  Corinthian?,  that  he  desired  to  know 
nothing  amongst  them,  but  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified. 

And  thus  the  true  teachers  preach  nothing  but  Christ; 
and  him  they  preach,  not  according  to  their  own  human 
conceptions  and  apprehensions,  but  according  to  the  reve- 
iation  they  have  received  from  the  Father,  by  the  Spirit. 

But  on  the  contrary,  the  false  teachers  preach  nothing 
iess  than  Christ,  and  feith  in  him  :  but  they  chiefly  teach 
the  law,  and  moral  doctrine,  and  works  ;  or  else  philoso- 
phy,  and  philosophical  suBtilties  and  speculations,  which 
yet  the  apostle  hath  expressly  forbidden.  Col.  ii.  8.  saying 
to  the  faithful,  Beware  test  ajiyman  spoil  you  through  phi- 
losophy and  vain  deceit,  after  the  tradition  of  men,  after 

*  Non  dixit  Christus  suo  prirao  C3etui,  Ue  et  prsdicate  mundo  nugas ;  sed 
■/eram  iUis  dedlt  fundamentum  ;  et  illud  tantum  sonuit  in  ore  ipsorum.  Dantes, 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  455 

the  elements  of  the  world,  and  not  after  Christ ;  for  in 
him  dwell i  'dl  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  ;  and  ye 
are  compleat  in  him  who  is  the  head  of  all  piincipality  and 
power :  And  so  we  need  not  turn  frqm  Christ  to  philoso- 
phy, that  vain  deceit. 

Wherefore,  they  who  preach  not  the  mystery  of  Christ, 
through  the  revelation  of  the  Father  and  the   Spirit,  but 
moral  virtues  and  vain  philosophy,  instead  of  Christ,  arc 
all  of  them  false  prophets,  and  ministers  of  antichrist. 
THE  FOURTH  SIGN. 

The  true  ministers  and  prophets  of  Christ,  as  they  only 
hold  forth  Christ,  so  they  hold  him  forth  only  for  the  love 
of  God,  and  their  brother,  and  not  for  any  wordly  profit 
or  gain. 

Thus  Christ  taught  his  disciples,  out  of  the  love  of  God ; 
as  he  saith,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God;  yea,  thy 
law  is  xvithin  my  heart,  that  is,  his  love  to  God.  And 
also  out  of  love  to  his  brother  ;  for  having  loved  his  own, 
he  loved  them  to  the  end :  and  out  of  this  love,  taught 
them ;  as  he  saith,  /  have  called  you  friends  ;  for  whatso- 
ever I  have  heard  from  my  father,  I  have  declared  unto 
you. 

And  as  he  taught  out  of  love  himself,  so  he  hath  com- 
manded all  his  seed  to  teach  one  another  out  of  the  same 
love ;  and  hath  given  them  his  Spirit,  which  is  love,  that 
thereby  they  might  love  both  him  and  their  brethren ;  and 
therefore  Christ  (knowing  how  difficult  a  work  it  was,  to 
feed  his  sheep  with  the  right  and  sound  doctrine  of  the 
■  gospel ;  and  that  none  could  or  would  perform  this,  except 
they  loved  Christ  from  their  very  heart-root)  said  thrice  to 
Peter,  Peter,  dost  thou  love  me?  dost  thou  love  me 9 
dost  thou  love  me  ?  Then  feed  my  sheep,  my  lambs,  my 
sheep  ;  and  Paul  said,  the  love  of  Christ  constrained  him 
to  teach  the  gospel :  and  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  in  all  be- 
lievers, being  love,  in  this  brotherly  love  they  serve  one 
another  in  the  gospeL 


456  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

And  as  Christ  himself  did  not  sell  his  spiritual  travel  to 
his  church  for  wordly  profit  or  gain  ;  no  more  do  his  true 
seed  and  servants  ;  for,  saith  PauL  Acts  xx.  33.  "  I  hav© 
coveted  no  man's  silver  or  gold,  or  apparel ;  ye  your- 
selves know,  that  these  hands  have  ministered  to  my  ne- 
cessity, and  to  them  who  were  with  me :"  And  2  Cor. 
xii.  14.  "  Behold,  the  third  time  I  am  ready  to  come  to 
you,  I  will  not  be  burdensome  to  you,  for  I  seek  not 
yours,  but  you."  And  ver*  17.  "  Did  I  make  a  gain  of 
you,  by  any  of  them  whom  I  sent  unto  you  ?  or  did  Titus 
make  a  gain  of  you  ?  ^valked  we  not  both  in  the  same 
Spirit?" 

And  thus  the  true  teachers  do  not  seek  any  temporal 
gain  or  commodity  from  ihe  hands  of  men,  by  their 
preaching,  but  do  truly  and  cheerfully  teach,  out  of  the 
love  of  Christ,  and  their  brother. 

But  on  the  contrary,  the  false  teachers,  though  they  do 
not  teach  the  gospel  (being  destitute  of  the  Spirit). but  vain 
philosophy,  and  human  doctrines,  instead  of  it,  yet  will 
they  live  by  the  gospel,  and  not  by  the  labour  of  their 
hands,  in  a  lawful  calling;  they  will  have  the  temporal 
goods  of  the  chinxh,  and  yet  not  minister  the  spiritual 
treasure  of  it ;  and  what  they  do  minister,  they  do  it  for  re- 
ward, as  it  is  written,  M'lcali  iii.  11.  The  priests  teach  for 
hire^  and  the  prophets  divine  for  money  ;  and  he  that  put- 
teth  not  into  their  months,  they  even  prepare  xvar  against 
kirn. 

And  to  shew  they  preach  for  the  love  of  gain,  they  are 
brought  up  to  the  ministry,  as  to  a  trade  to  live  by ;  and 
tliey  rini  in  this  ua}-,  from  one  place  to  another,  from, 
a  less  to  a  greater  living ;  and  where  they  may  gain  most 
nf  this  world,  there  will  they  be  sure  to  be  :  Yea,  so  much 
:i.re  they  addicted  to  their  worldly  advantage,  that  they 
had  rather  Christ's  kingdom  should  never  be  set  up  in  the 
world,  nor  antichrist's  be  thrown  down,  than  suffer 
iMv  los^.  or  diminution    in  their  profit,    power,  diirnity, 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  4ST 

authority,  or  in  any  worldly   thing,  whereof  they  have 
got  the  possession  and  enjoyment. 

Wherefore,  they  that  teach  Christ,  not  for  the  love  of 
Christ,  and  their  brother,  but  for  temporal  gain,  and 
worldly  advantage  only,  are  all  of  them  fiUse  teachers,  and 
ministers  of  antichrist. 

THE  FIFTH  SIGN. 

The  true  teachers  teach  Christ  to  others,  as  they  have 
been  taught  him  of  God,  only  for  the  glory  of  God.  and 
not  out  of  vain-glory.  Wherefore  Christ  said  of  himself, 
John  viii.  50.  I  seek  not  mine  own  glory:  And  John  vii.  18. 
He  that  speaketh  of  himself,  seeketh  his  own  glory  ;  but 
he  that  seeketh  the  glory  of  him  that  sent  him^  the  same  is 
true^  and  no  unrighteousness  is  in  him  :  So  that,  whoever 
speaketh  from  God,  seeketh  God's  glory :  And  so  also 
Paul  saith,  1  Thess.  ii.  6.  jYor  of  men  sought  we  glory  ; 
neither  ofyou^  nor  yet  of  others. 

So  that  the  true  teachers  do  not  preach  the  word,  to 
win  to  themselves  glory  in  the  world,  and  praise  and  ap- 
plause from  men ;  but  do  rather  seek  the  glory  of  God, 
by  their  doctrine,  though  hypocrites  and  carnal  people, 
for  this  cause,  do  deride  and  scorn  them. 

But  on  the  contrary,  the  false  teachers  seek,  above  all 
things,  their  own  glory  by  their  ministry,  and  to  this  end, 

1.  They  get  to  themselves  titles  and  degrees  in  the  uni- 
versity, for  their  pretended  knowledge  in  divinity  above 
other  christians;  and  by  these  degrees,  they  get  *'  the  up- 
permost seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  greetings  in  the 
markets,  and  are  called  of  men,  doctor,  doctor;"  which 
Christ  hath  expressly  forbidden  in  his  gospel. 

2.  Having  got  such  titles,  they  go  forth  in  their  o\vn 
ftame,  as  men  of  approved  religion,  learning,  reputation 
and  worth,  and  for  such,  they  make  account,  that  the 
world  should  receive  them. 

3M 


458  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS, 

3,  They  especially  desire  to  preach  to  rich  men,  and 
great  men,  and  men  in  place  and  authority,  that  from 
them  they  may  have  protection,  favour,  preferment,  and 
a  quiet  life ;  and  care  not  much  to  preach  to  the  poor, 
plain,  mean  people,  by  whom  they  can  expect  no  worldly 
advantage. 

4.  To  this  end  also,  they  speak  in  the  words  whicli  man's 
wisdom  teacheth,  and  so  mingle  philosophy  with  divinity, 
and  think  to  credit  the  gospel  with  terms  of  art ;  and  do 
sprinkle  their  sermons  with  Hebrew,  Greek,  Latin,  as 
%vith  a  perfume  acceptable  to  the  nostrils  of  the  world. 

In  a  word,  they  preach  ail  things  in  a  pleasing  spirit  to 
the  world,  that  they,  by  all,  may  get  glory  to  themselves, 
and  may  be  accounted,  with  Simon  Magus ^  some  great 
ones :  And  in  all  this,  they  shew  tl^ey  speak  of  themselves, 
and  not  of  Godi  seeing  they  seek  not  God's  glory,  but 
their  own  ;  for,  He  that  speaketh  of  himself,  seeketh  his 
own  glory. 

Wherefore  they,  who,  by  their  ministr}-,  do  not  seek 
the  glory  of  God  alone,  and  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  but 
seek  their  own  glory,  and  the  praise  of  men,  as  the  clergy 
generally  do,  and  not  least  of  all  in  this  place;  they  are  all 
qf  them  falt.c  prophets,  and  ministers  of  antichrist. 

THE  SIXTH  SIGN. 

The  true  preachers  and  ministers  of  Christ,  when  they 
are  opposed,  resisted,  slandered  and  jUrs^ciUed  for  the 
word's  sake,  they  endure  it  with  all  meekness,  humility 
and  patience.  Thus  Christ  endured  all  the  reproaches, 
contradictions,  revilings,  and  persecutions  froni  the  Jews : 
and  "when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not  again  ;  rvhen  he  suf- 
fered he  threatened  not,  but  committed  himself  to  him  that 
judgeth  righteously,  1  Pet.  ii.  25.  And  Pfiw/ saith  of  him- 
self to  the  Corinthians,  1  Cor.  xii.  12.  You  had  the  signs 
of  my  apostleship  in  all  patience. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  459 

But  on  the  contrary,  the  false  teachers,  when  any  tnath 
is  preached  that  they  knoM'  not,  or  that  is  against  their 
gain  or  glory,  they  snarl  and  bark  at  it,  and  bite  them  that 
bring  it.  And  therefore  saith  Pa?//,  "  beware  of  dogs," 
Phil.  iii.  2.  not  dogs  by  nature,  but  by  practice  and  con- 
dition. Now  a  dog,  lying  on  a  rich  garment,  or  soft  car- 
pet, at  his  ease,  as  long  as  he  may  lie  still,  he  is  very  quiet ; 
but  if  you  would  remove  him  from  his  place,  he  soon 
snarls  and  flies  at  you,  and  shews  of  what  mettle  he  is 
made.  So  the  false  teachers,  who  have  gotten  a  carnal 
knowledge  of  the  world,  and  have  thereby  gotten  prefer- 
ment, and  great  advantages  in  the  world,  they  lie  quiet 
on  these  soft  things,  as  long  as  they  may  lie  still ;  but  if 
any  seek,  by  the  word  of  God,  to  rouse  them  up  from  these 
things,  they  rise  up  like  angry  dogs,  and.  bark  at  them, 
and  rend,  them,  as  much  as  they  can  or  dare. 

Wherefore,  those  teachers  who  cannot  patiently  suffer 
A\Tongs  for  the  word's  sake ;  but  on  the  contrary,  when 
they  are  reproved  by  the  word,  and  their  sheep's  clothing 
pulled  off,  even  their  false  vizard  of  religion,  do  presently 
grow  impatient  and  furious ;  and  they  that  bark  and  foam 
against  the  late  revealed  truth,  which  toucheth  them  very 
near,  they  are  all  false  teachers,  and  ministers  of  antichrist. 
THE  SEVENTH  SIGN. 

The  true  prophets,  and  ministers  of  Christ,  do  not  force 
any  body  to  hear  them,  and  obey  their  doctrine  against 
their  wills  ;  neither  do  they  vex  and  trouble  them  with 
secular  power,  who  will  not  obey  them,  and  be  subject  to 
them;  but  they  leave  all  such  people  as  they  found 
them,  lest  they  should  seem,  by  their  doctrine,  to  seek 
any  worldly  thing. 

Thus  Christ,  when  he  taught  the  gospel,  gtill  cried  out, 
"  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear ;"  and  he  that  had 
not  ears  to  hear,  he  did  not  punish  him  :  and  again  saith 
Christ,  "  If  any  man  will  be  my  disciple,  let  him  deny  him- 
self, and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me;"  and  still  left 


460  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

men  to  their  own  freedom,  whether  they  would  be  liis  dis- 
ciples or  no. 

And  as  Christ  did  thus  himself,  so  he  left  the  same 
thing  in  command  with  all  his  true  disciples :  and  when 
he  sent  them  forth  to  preach.  Matt.  x.  he  charged  them, 
saying,  "  Whoever  will  not  receive  you,  nor  hear  your 
words,  when  you  depart  out  of  that  house  or  city,  shake 
off  the  dust  of  your  feet,  as  a  testimony  against  them  ;"  he 
doth  not  bid  them,  if  they  be  refused,  to  betake  themselves 
to  the  secular  power,  to  get  authority  from  thence  to  stay 
and  abide  there,  whether  they  will  or  no,  or  otherwise  to 
punish  them  ;  but  bids  them  only  to  shake  off  the  dust  of 
their  feet  y  that  they  might  know,  they  came  not  to  them 
for  the  love  of  earthly  things.  And  when  the  apostles, 
out  of  a  false  zeal,  would  have  had  Christ  to  have  com- 
manded fire  to  come  down  from  heaven  to  have  destroyed 
them  that  would  not  receive  him ;  he  plainly  reproved 
them,  saying,  "  Ye  know  not  of  what  spirit  ye  are;  for 
the  Son  of  man  is  not  come  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but  to 
save  them. 

Wherefore  those  teachers,  who,  for  worldly  advantage 
sake,  will  force  themselves  upon  those  men  against  their 
wills,  who  will  not  willingly  receive  them  ;  and  will  pro- 
voke the  worldly  powers  and  m  agistrates  to  punish  those 
who  will  not  hear  and  receive  them  and  their  doctrine^ 
they  arc  all  false  prophets,  and  ministers  of  antichrist. 
THE  EIGHTH  SIGN. 

The  true  teachers  are  content  that  others  should  teach 
as  well  as  they,  and  would  not  make  a  monopoly  of  the 
Hiinistry  to  themselves  alone,  for  worldly  advantage  sake. 

Thus  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  did  not  content  himself  to 
preach  the  gospel  alone,  but  he  sent  forth  others,  as  his 
Father  sent  forth  him ;  yea,  he  pours  forth  his  Spirit  on 
all  flesh,  that  sons,  and  daughters,  and  servants,  and 
handmaids,  may  prophesy,  and  so  knowledge  may  cover  the 
Earthy  as  -waters  the  seas:  and  to  make  tlie  world  willing 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  461 

to  receive  such  teachers,  he  saith,  He  that  receiveth  you^ 
receiveth  me  ;  and  he  that  receiveth  me,  receiveth  him  that 
sent  me. 

And  when  EldadsLud  Medady  upon  whom  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  did  rest,  prophecied  in  the  camp  of  Israel,  with- 
out asking  any  Hcense  from  Moses,  and  one  told  Moses  of 
it  in  great  displeasure,  and  Joshua,  thereupon,  wished 
Moses  to  forbid  them  to  prophecy,  then  Moses,  the  meek 
servant  of  the  Lord,  replied,  "  Enviest  thou  for  my  sake  ? 
would  God,  saith  he,  that  all  the  Lord's  people  were 
prophets,  and  that  the  Lord  would  put  his  Spirit  upon 
them  all ;"  Numb.  xi.  29.  And  so  the  godly  mind  of 
any  faithful  teacher,  desireth  to  be  helped  in  the  work  of 
the  word,  that  the  precious  truth  of  the  gospel,  which  he 
himself  alone  cannot  sufficiently  express,  all  men's  tongues 
might  declare.  And  so  they  do  not  envy  in  others,  those 
spiritual  gifts  which  God  hath  given  them,  but  do  wish, 
that  every  man  had  a  mouth  and  wisdom  given  him,  to 
declare  the  mystery  of  the  gospel,  and  the  infinite  love, 
mercy,  wisdom,  truth,  power,  redemption,  and  salvation 
of  God  by  Jesus  Christ,  which  cannot,  by  all  men's 
tongues,  be  sufficiently  published  in  the  world. 

Farther,  as  no  worldly  prince  or  magistrate  hath  such 
unlimited  power  over  the  goods  of  the  people,  as  to  for- 
bid them  to  give  corporal  alms  to  them  that  stand  in  need, 
as  occasion  is  ministered ;  no  more  hath  any  power,  whe- 
ther ecclesiastical  or  civil,  such  dominion  over  the  word 
and  truth  of  God,  written  by  the  Spirit  in  the  hearts  of 
believers ;  but  that  they  may  at  all  times,  and  upon  all 
occasions,  minister  spiritual  alms  to  them  who  stand  in 
need,  by  the  teaching  of  the  gospel. 

Wherefore,  those  teachers,  who  are  envious  that  any 
should  preach  the  word  but  themselves,  and  their  own  tribe, 
as  they  call  it,  (because  they  get  great  worldly  advantage 
thereby,  whereas  otherwise  they  would  be  contented  that 
any   should  preach)  and  so  would  have  the  civil  ma- 


462  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

gistrate  only  to  license  them  to  be  preachers,  because  of 
their  degrees  and  orders,  and  to  forbid  all  others,  they  all 
are  false  teachers  and  ministers  of  antichrist. 

THE  NINTH  SIGN. 

The  true  teachers  do  not  only  teach  the  word,  but  are 
also  ready  to  seal  to  the  truth  of  it  Avith  their  estates,  liber- 
ties, and  lives. 

Thus  did  Jesus  Christ,  as  was  foretold  by  Isaiah^  chap. 
1.  5.  where  Christ  saith  by  his  Spirit,  "  The  Lord  hath 
opened  mine  ear,  and  I  was  not  rebellious,  neither  turned 
away  back ;  I  gave  my  back  to  the  smiters,  and  my  cheeks 
to  them  who  plucked  off  the  hair ;  I  hid  not  my  face  from* 
shame  and  spitting."  And  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  how 
willingly  did  he  seal  to  the  truth  of  his  New  Testament 
doctrine  with  his  suffering,  and  suffered  himself  to  be  ap- 
prehended by  the  hands  of  men,  and  to  be  crucified,  when 
he  could  have  commanded  legions  of  angels  for  his  suc- 
cour, if  he  had  pleased,  and  would  have  made  use  of  his 
own  infinite  and  almighty  power. 

And  this  submission  and  willingness  to  suffer  for  the 
truth,  Christ  hath  commanded  all  his  disciples,  saying, 
"He  that  will  save  his  life,  shall  lose  it;  and  he  that  will 
lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  shall  save  it :  And  if  any  man  will 
be  my  disciple,  let  him  deny  himself,  take  up  the  cross, 
and  follow  me :  And  again,  I  send  you  forth  as  sheep  among 
wolves,  and  ye  shall  be  brought  before  kings  and  rulers  for 
my  name's  sake,"  that  is,  for  the  true  and  spiritual  teach- 
ing of  the  gospel. 

Now  as  nothing  will  procure  us  more  enmity,  than  the 
spiritual  holding  forth  of  the  gospel,  which  will  cause  the 
worldly  church  to  cast  out  our  name  as  evil,  and  to  cast 
our  persons  out  of  their  synagogues,  yea,  and  also  to  kill 
us,  when  they  can  get  power ;  so  if  we  be  true  teachers, 
must  we  be  ready  and  willing  to  suflfer  all  this  for  Christ's 
name  sake. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  4ff3 

Wherefore,  those  teachers  who-  embrace  the  height  and 
honour  of  this  Hfc,  and  will  not  own  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
farther  than  they  may  thereby  procure  to  themselves  cre- 
dit, reputation,  profit,  and  preferment  in  the  world  ;  and 
to  this  end,  in  doubtful  and  difficult  times,  carry  them- 
selves so  subtilly,  that  whatever  party  shall  prevail,  they 
may  still  stand  on  their  legs,  aud  enjoy  their  present  pros- 
perity and  preferment ;  and  so  are  neither  hot  nor  cold, 
neither  truly  for  the  truth,  nor  openly  against  the  truth, 
but  seek  by  all  subtil  means  to  decline  the  cross  of  Christ. 
And  though  in  Christ  himsc.lf,  they  praise  his  meanness, 
plainness,  simplicity,  suffering,  and  cross,  yet  they  them- 
selves are  delicate,  and  cannot  endure  tliese  things  for 
Christ's  sake  in  themselves,  but  bend  and  frame  the  whole 
course  of  their  ministry  so,  as  they  may  obtain  all  good 
things  from  the  world,  and  avoid  and  escape  all  evil  things 
from  it ;  these  all  are  false  prophets,  and  ministers  of  an,, 
tichrist. 

By  these  nine  signs  (for  I  shall  name  no  more  now) 
may  the  true  prophets  and  ministers  of  Christ  be  manifest- 
ly distinguished  and  discerned  from  the  false  ones  of  anti- 
christ, by  all  the  true  people  of  God,  who  have  received 
his  Spirit. 

Now  let  God  and  his  word  be  true,  and  every  man  a 
liar. 

And  now  I  shall  make  but  two  uses  of  this  discourse 
briefly,  and  so  conclude  for  this  time.  And  the  first  shall 
be  to  those  of  you  who  are  spiritual  christians :  and  the 
second  to  the  carnal  clergy. 

First,  You  who  are  true  believers,  and  spiritual  chris- 
tians, may  judge  aright,  by  what  you  have  heard,  of  the 
present  clergy,  or  common  ministry  of  the  nation ;  and 
may  see  by  the  clear  light  of  the  word,  that  they,  for  the 
generality  of  them,  are  not  true,  but  false  prophets ;  not 
the  ministers  of  Christ,  but  of  antichrist ;  not  sent  of  God, 


464.  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

nor  anointed  by  his  Spirit,  but  ordained  and  appointed  by 
men,  at  their  own  desire  and  seeking,  for  worldly  advan- 
tage sake  ;  men  who  stand  and  minister  in  the  church,  on» 
\y  in  the  strength  of  their  academical  degrees  and  eccle. 
siastical  ordination,  but  do  not  stand  and  feed  the  people, 
in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  majesty  of  the 
name  of  their  God.  And  this  corrupt  ministry  or  carnal 
clergy  have  deceived  the  people  and  nations,  with  a  cor- 
rupt and  carnal  understanding  of  Christ,  and  of  the  scrip- 
tures, and  of  the  kmgdom  of  Christ,  and  of  the  govern- 
ment of  his  kingdom,  and  of  all  the  things  of  Christ : 
Yfa,  they  have,  under  the  name  and  pretence  of  Christ, 
set  up  a  church  to  antichrist  every  where,  and  do  conti- 
Bu-ily  mislead  thousands  of  poor  souls. 

And  this,  I  say,  is  the  greatest  evil  in  these  false  teachers, 
that  under  the  name  of  Christ,  they  fight  against  Christ, 
and  under  the  name  of  the  word,  they  fight  against  the 
word,  and  under  the  name  of  the  church,  they  fight  against 
the  church :  And  this  is  a  grievous  abomination  of  desola- 
tion in  the  temple  of  God,  that  they  who  should  be  the 
chief  for  the  truth,  are  the  chief  against  it;  and  that  they 
who  should  be  faithful  witnesses  to  the  holy  truth  of 
Christ,  should  prove  lying  witnesses  against  it.  If  a  pro- 
phane  person,  or  heathen,  should  do  this,  it  would  be  wick- 
edness and  impiety,  even  in  them  ;  but  this  is  horrible  abo- 
mination, and  antichristianism  in  the  Church  of  Christ, 
that  they,  who  are  come  into  it  as  friends,  and  have  ob- 
tained the  chief  places  in  it,  should  yet,  under  this  vizard, 
be  indeed  very  enemies,  and  seducers,  and  hinderers  of 
the  word  of  Christ  crucified.  Wherefore  saith  the  truth 
against  such,  Psal'  Iv.  12.  It  was  not  an  enemy  that  re- 
proached mOy  then  I  could  have  borne  it ;  neither  was  it  he 
that  hated  me  ^  that  magnified  himself  against  me  ^  for  then 
would  I  have  hid  myself  from  him  ;  but  it  was  thou  a  man, 
winf  egualy  myguidey  and  my  acquaintojinf  ;  7ve  took  srveet 


TH#  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  465 

iounsel  together,  and xvalked  unto  the  house  of  God  in  com,' 
pany,  &.C. 

And  so  these  false  teachers  are  these  familiar  enemies, 
who  exercise  all  their  hatred  under  the  pretence  of  love, 
all  their  enmity  under  pretence  of  friendship,  and  practise 
all  their  wickedness  under  a  form  of  godliness ;  and  by 
this  subtilty  have  they  deceived  the  world.  They  will 
not  plainly  contradict  the  words  of  the  prophets,  apostles, 
and  Christ,  in  the  letter  of  it ;  but  will  praise  it,  and  speak 
well  of  it ;  but  yet  they  are  utter  enemies  to  the  true  and 
spiritual  meaning  of  it,  both  in  their  lives  and  doctrine : 
and  the  more  these  men  make  a  shew  of  religion  and  holi- 
ness, the  greater  antichrists  they  are  in  the  church. 

Wherefore  to  you  who  are  true  christians,  and  have  re- 
ceived an  anointing  from  God,  this  is  the  word  and  charge 
of  God,  Come  out  from  among  them,  my  people,  and  touch 
not  the  unclean  thing,  that  is,  their  carnal  doctrine  ;  have 
nothing  to  do  with  such  prophets  and  ministers,  but  re- 
member what  Christ  saith,  John  x.  That  his  sheep  hear 
his  voice,  and  will  not  hear  the  voice  of  strangers  ;  for 
they  knoxu  not  the  voice  of  strangers.  And  if  any  of  you 
live  in  any  town  or  parish,  where  such  false  prophets  are, 
though  they  go  under  the  name  of  godly  and  orthodox, 
yet  touch  not  the  unclean  thing,  but  know,  that  it  is  bet- 
ter for  you  believers  to  assemble  together  among  your- 
selves, though  you  be  but  feW,  than  to  communicate  with 
the  false  prophets,  in  their  false  ordinances :  seeing  Christ 
hath  promised  his  presence  to  his  believers,  even  where 
but  two  or  three  meet  together  in  his  name ;  yea,  hatli 
said,  If  any  two  of  you  shall  agree  together,  to  ask  any 
thing  on  earth,  it  shall  be  done  of  my  Father  which  is  hi 
heaven.  And  if  you,  having  these  promises,  shall  meet 
together  among  yourselves,  in  the  name  and  Spirit  of 
Christ,  in  the  use  of  the  word,  and  prayer  of  faith,  lo, 
Christ  himself  will  be  with  you ;  and  though  you  be  but 

3N 


466  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

few,  yet  are  you  the  church  of  the  living  God,  the  pillar 
and  ground  of  truth,  and  of  that  very  church,  against 
which  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail :  And  thus  much 
to  you  spiritual  christians. 

2.  And  now  for  the  carnal  clergy,  or  false  prophets, 
their  burden  is  this,  from  the  Lord.     You  have  run  when 
you  were  not  sent ;  you  have  said,  Thus  saith  the  Lord, 
when  the  Lord  hath  not  spoken  by  yon  ;  you  have  grieved 
the  hearts  of  the  faithful,  and  strengthened  the  hands  of 
the  wicked :  You  have  been  forward  to  advance  the  form 
of  godhness,  whilst  you  have  been  bitter  enemies  to  the 
power  of  it :  You  have  deceived  the  nations,  and  made 
them  drunk  with  the  cup  of  the  wine  of  your  fornications  : 
you  have  done  more  against  Christ  and  his  true  church, 
and  more  for  antichrist  and  his  false  church,  than  all  the 
people  in  these  nations  besides.     Wherefore  this  is  the 
word  of  the  Lord  to  you,  throughout  all  your  quarters, 
that  the  nations  shall  not  much  longer  be  deceived  by  you, 
nor  buy  any  more  of  your  merchandise,  for  your  wine  is 
the  poison  of  dragons,  and  the  cruel  venom  of  asps  ;  your 
doctrine  being  the  word  of  philosophy,  and  not  of  faith  ; 
after  the  mind  of  man,  but  contrary  to  Christ's  mind  :  to 
set  up  yourselves  and  your  own  interest,  to  the  prejudice 
of  Christ's  word  and  people.    Wherefore,  how  much  you 
have  glorified  yourselves,  and  lived  deliciously  by  this 
trade  of  making  merchandise  of  the  word  of  God,  so  much 
torment  and  sorrow  shall  God  give  you,  and  your  plagues 
shall  come  upon  you  in  a  day,  and  your  judgment  in  an 
hour ;  and  your  lovers  shall  not  be  able  to  help  you,  nor 
the  petitioners  for  you,  to  uphold  you;   but  God  shall 
bring  you  down  wonderfull}',  by  the  clear  light  of  his 
word,  and  his  mighty  irresistable  providence  accompany- 
ing it ;  and  the  world  shall  tremble,  and  wonder  at  the 
noise  of  your  downfal ;  and  the  heavens,  and  holy  apostles, 
aiRi  prophets,   shall  rejoice  over  you,  when  God  shall 
avenge  their  cause  upon   vou.     And  the  Lord  will  save 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  4G7 

his  flock ;  and  they  shall  be  no  more  a  prey  to  you,  neither 
shall  you  any  more  serve  yourselves  of  them.  And  he 
will  set  up  one  shepherd  over  them,  even  Jesus  Christ ; 
and  he  shall  feed  them,  and  be  their  shepherd.  And  till 
these  things  be  fully  brought  to  pass,  you  shall  be  clothed 
with  trembling,  when  you  shall  perceive  the  Lord  is  risen 
up,  to  perform  all  these  things  according  to  his  word. 

And  now  for  conclusion,  if  any  of  you,  or  most  of  you, 
or  all  of  you,  are  ofiended  at  these  things,  in  such  sort, 
that  you  cannot  contain  yourselves  from  anger  and  bitter 
zeal,  I  do  intreat  you,  to  consider  seriously,  how  much 
better,  and  more  profitable  to  your  eternal  salvation  it 
would  be,  for  you  to  resist,  and  to  refrain  from  such  evil 
and  unchristian  passions ;  and  that  you  would  rather  (if 
there  be  any  hope)  return  to  your  own  hearts,  and  try 
your  works,  and  repent  before  our  holy  and  righteous 
Lord,  and  return  truly  and  speedily  to  Christ  from  anti- 
christ, lest  you  be  inwrapped  both  in  his  temporal  and 
eternal  destruction. 

And  thus  much  was  delivered  to  the  University  Congre- 
gation in  Cambridge,  for  a  testimony  against  them, 
except  they  repent.     The  rest,  for  the  substance  of 

it,  was  delivered  elsewhere  in  the  Toww,  as  follow- 
eth.     Annoj  1653. 


4*68 


The  Trial  of  Spirits. 

1  John  IV.  1,  &c. 
Believe  not  every  Spirit,  &c. 

IN  this  scripture  we  have  noted  these  six  things. 

1.  That  the  apostle  gives  the  faithful  notice  of  a  great 
evil  risen  up,  •Many  false  proj^hets  are  gone  into  the 
world. 

2.  He  prescribes  them  a  sufficient  remedy  against  that 
evil ;  Believe  not  every  spirit,  hut  try,  &c. 

3.  He  gives  them  a  right  rule  for  trial,  ver.  2,  3. 

4.  He  shewsj  with  whom  those  false  prophets,  who 
come  in  the  spirit  of  antichrist,  should  not  prevail,  to  wit, 
with  none  of  the  true  children  of  God,  ver.  4. 

5.  With  whom  they  should  prevail,  to  wit,  with  the 
worldly  and  carnal  people,  ver.  5. 

6.  He  shews,  how  the  Spirit  of  truth  and  error  may  be 
known  in  the  people,  as  well  as  in  the  teachers,  ver.  6. 

Of  the  three  first  of  these  points  I  have  spoken  already, 
in  the  university  congregation.  The  last  time  I  spake  of 
the  third  thing,  that  is,  the  rule  of  trial,  how  the  false 
prophets  may  be  known  and  discerned  from  the  true:  And 
I  gave  forth  clearly  and  plainly  out  of  the  word  of  God, 
nine  signs  to  distinguish  them,  not  one  of  which  can  pos- 
sibly be  contradicted,  but  by  the  spirit  of  antichrist,  or 
by  the  prophane  and  ignorant  world :  And  then  I  also 
delivered  two  uses,  the  one  to  spiritual  christians,  and  the 
other  to  the  carnal  clergy,  all  which  you  may  have  re- 
course to,  in  the  former  discourse. 

But  how  these  things  have  since  vexed  and  tormented 
the  false  prophets,  you  very  well  know  ;  and  how  exceed- 
ingly grieved  and  angry  they  are,  that  this  word  of  God 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  469 

should  be  taught  the  people,  and  that  in  their  presence. 
Unto  which  word  of  Christ,  they  say  by  their  deeds,  as 
Satan,  in  the  possessed,  said  once  to  Christ  himself  in 
words,  Mark  i.  2^.  Let  us  alone,  what  have  we  to  do 
with  thee,  th^ii  Jesus  of  JVazarethP  Art  thou  come  to  de- 
stroy usP  I  know  thee  who  thou  art,  the  Holy  one  of  God. 
This  unclean  spirit  knew^,  and  acknowledged  Christ  to 
be  the  holy  one  of  God,  and  yet  would  have  nothing  to 
do  with  him,  because  he  was  come  to  destroy  him.  So 
these  false  prophets  cannot  choose  but  acknowledge  (in 
their  hearts  at  least)  that  the  word  that  hath  been  taught 
them,  is  the  holy  word  of  God,  but  yet  (they  say)  what 
have  we  to  do  with  it?  for  it  is  come  to  destroy  us. 
For  the  more  the  word  of  Christ  is  held  forth  in  the 
clearness  and  plainness  of  the  gospel,  the  more  doth  it 
destroy  them,  and  their  affairs :  Their  carnal  clergy, 
flowing  from  the  antichristian  fountain  of  the  universi- 
ties ;  their  ecclesiastical  assemblies,  arising  out  of  the 
clergy;  their  presbyterian  government,  springing  up  out 
of  their  ecclesiastical  assemblies  ;  their  national  church, 
the  product  of  their  presbyterian  government :  together, 
with  their  worldly  power  and  dominion,  their  high  ti- 
tles, their  scarlet  robes,  their  divinity  degrees,  &c.  I  say, 
the  word  of  the  gospel  comes  with  full  might  and  mind 
to  destroy  all  these,  and  all  their  other  things,  in  which 
their  souls  delight,  as  bringing  worldly  profit,  power,  and 
honour  to  them.  Wherefore  this  word,  which  abases, 
and  casts  them  down,  and  all  their  things,  and  exalts 
Christ  alone,  and  all  his  things,  they  cannot  endui'e| 
?iut  do  account  it  their  reproach  and  shame,  and  say  to 
it,  what  have  we  to  do  with  thee,  thou  holy  word  of  God ! 
for  thou  art  come  to  destroy  us ;  and  so,  against  this 
word,  they  are  angry,  and  enraged  at  no  ordinary  or  hu- 
man rate ;  but  as  David  saith,  Psal.  lix.  They  belch  out 
ivith  their  mouth,  and  make  a  noise  like  a  do^,  and  go 
wp  and  down,  full  of  pride,  cursing  and  lying.  But  the 


47Q  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

Lord  laughs  at  these  heathen,  and  hath  them  in  derision, 
for  he  seeth  the  day  is  coming,  ivhen  they  shall  ivander 
up  and  down  for  meat,  and  grudge  if  they  be  not  satis- 
fed. 

Now  this  behaviour  of  theirs  towards  the  word  of 
God,  is  plainly  foretold,  Rev.  xvi.  10,  11.  where  it  is 
said,  that  when  the  God  of  heaven  poured  forth  his  vial 
by  the  fifth  angel,  on  the  seat  or  throne  of  the  beast,  his 
Tcivgdom  was  full  of  darkness,  and  they  gnawed  their 
tongues  for  jjain,  and  blasphemed  the  God  of  heaven, 
because  of  their  pains  and  their  sores;  and  yet  repented 
not  of  their  deeds.  Now  the  throne  of  the  beast  in  these 
nations,  are  the  universities,  as  the  fountain  of  the  mi- 
nistry ;  the  vial  poured  on  them,  is  the  true  word  of 
God,  or  the  plain  and  simple  gospel,  which  is  the  word 
of  faith  ;  than  which,  nothing  is  more  grievous  to  them 
who  have  been  bred  up  in  philosophy,  and  in  the  know- 
ledge, wisdom,  learning,  righteousness  and  spirit  of  the 
world ;  now  the  primary  event  of  the  pouring  forth  of 
this  vial  of  the  word  of  God  on  this  seat,  is  the  darken- 
ing of  antichrist's  kingdom,  as  it  is  said,  his  kingdom 
was  full  of  darkness  ;  it  was  full  of  darkness  before, 
but  now  it  is  discovered  to  be  full  of  darkness  ;  their 
philosophy  is  darkness,  and  vain  deceit ;  their  school 
divinity  darkness,  and  antichristianism ;  their  divinity 
acts  and  cleruras,  darkness  ;  their  professorships  of  di- 
vinity, darkness,  yea,  all  their  doctrine,  faith,  worship, 
works,  church-discipline,  titles,  ordination,  and  all  are 
discovered  to  be  darkness,  even  gross  darkness  by  the 
word  of  faith :  And  then  follows  the  secondary  event  of 
the  pouring  forth  this  vial,  which  is.  They  gnawed  their 
tongues  for  pain^  and  blasphemed  the  God  of  heaven, 
because  of  their  pains,  and  sores,  ivhich  the  word  inflict- 
ed on  them  ;  that  is,  they  had  not  the  ordinary  anger  of 
men  against  the  word,  but  the  anger  and  wrath  of  devils, 
causing  them  to  blaspheme  again.      But  yet^  for  all 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  471 

these  things,  they  repented  not  of  their  deeds  (as  we 
see  manifestly)  which  yet  would  have  been  more  profit- 
able for  them. 

And  this  also  discovers  them  to  be  false  prophets  in- 
deed, and  the  right  ministers  of  antichrist:  and  this  ap- 
pertains to  the  sixth  sign  of  false  prophets^,  wliich  I  gave 
before. 

The  fourth  general  point. 

And  now  I  proceed  to  the  fourth  thing,  wherein  the 
apostle  shews,  with  whom  the  false  prophets,  which  come 
in  the  spirit  of  antichrist,  should  not  prevail ;  namely, 
with  none  of  the  true  children  of  God :  and  this  is  set 
down,  in  ver.  4. 

Fe  are  of  God,  little  children,  and  have  overcome  them^ 
because  greater  is  he  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in 
the  world. 

Here  now  the  apostle  shews  the  victory,  which  the 
truly  faithful  and  spiritual  christians  do  obtain  over  an- 
tichrist and  his  false  prophets,  together  with  the  grounds 
of  that  victory. 

1.  The  victory  is  set  down  in  these  words,  Little  chil- 
dren, ye  have  overcome  them. 

2.  The  grounds  of  this  victory  are  two. 

1.  Because  the  faithful  are  of  God,  as  children  of 
their  Father :  Ye  are  of  God,  little  children,  and  have 
overcome  them. 

2.  Because  that  spirit  which  the  faithful  have  receiv- 
ed, and  which  dwells  in  them,  is  stronger,  and  mightier 
than  that  spirit  which  the  world  receives,  and  which 
dwells  in  them.  Greater  is  he  that  is  in  you,  than  he 
that  is  in  the  icorld. 

I  shall  first  speak  something  of  the  victory  itself ;  that 
is,  of  that  glorious  victory,  which  all  the  true  children 
of  God  do  obtain  over  antichrist.  For  though  antichrist 
and  his  teachers  do  come  in  Christ's  name  (as  Christ 
hath  foretold)  and  in  sheeps  clothing ;  and  though  they 
transform  themselves  into  the  apostles  of  Christ,  and 


172  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

come  with  all  deceiveableness  of  unrighteousness,  hold- 
ing forth  a  false  Christ  the  head  ;  a  false  church  the  bo- 
dy ;  a  false  word,  a  false  worship,  false  works,  false  or- 
dinances, and  all  these  false  things  exceedingly  like  the 
true,  and  in  the  very  form  and  appearance  of  the  true ; 
in  such  sort,  that  they  prevail  with  all  the  national  church, 
and  the  generality  of  the  people  of  the  world,  which  all 
wonder  after  them  ;  yet  they  are  not  able,  by  all  these 
tilings,  to  prevail  with  any  of  the  true  children  of  God, 
as  Christ  hath  taught  us,  saying,  Many  false  Christs  and 
false  jirophets  shall  arise,  and  shall  come  with  lying  signs 
and  wonders;  able,  if  it  were  possible,  to  deceive  the 
elect :  And  though  they  do  deceive  all  others,  yet  it  is 
jiot  possible  for  them  to  deceive  the  elect  of  God,  that  is, 
thoroughly  and  fully,  as  they  do  deceive  others  ;  but  the 
faithful  and  elect  people  of  God  do  escape  their  deceits, 
and  do  overcome  them  ;  yea,  tliough  they  be  but  little 
children,  new  in  the  faith,  and  young  in  Christ,  yet  do 
they  overcome  all  the  false  prophets  in  the  world.     For 
these  little  children  are  so  stript  of  their  old  nature,  that 
they  overcome  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  the  lusts  of  the  eye, 
and  the  pride  of  life,  which  are  not  of  God,  but  of  the 
world,  and  through  which  only,  the  ministers  of  anti- 
christ are  mighty ;  and  so  these  teachers  can  find  nothing 
in  them,  on  which  they  can  lay  hold  to  prevail.   Besides, 
as  new  born  babes  can  discern  and  taste  which  is  good 
and  wholesome  milk,  and  suitable  to  them,  and  can  re 
fuse  what  is  otherwise ;  and  this  instinct  they  have  in 
their  very  nature,  as  soon  as  they  have  a  being,  to  judge 
of  their  food,  which  is  good  for  them,  and  which  is  hurt- 
ful.    So  the  children  of  Go.l,  as  soon  as  ever  they,  by 
faith,  are  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  they  can 
immediately  judge  of  the  milk  of  the  word,  and  can 
surely  taste  and  discern  whether  it  be  sincere  or  adulter- 
ated, whether  it  be  good  or  hurtful  for  them.   And  so,  in 
the  virtue  of  their  new  nature,  they  reject  and  overcome 
all  the  false  doctrines  of  the  false  teachers. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  473 

And  thus  we  have  seen  all  along,  in  th^^  several  a£;es 
of  the  reign  of  antichrist,  that  Christ  hath  always  had  a 
people  of  his  own,  tiiough  but  few  in  numher,  and  mean 
in  condition,  and  despised  of  the  world,  whom  antichrist 
never  could  prevail  against,  neither  by  the  subtilty  of 
his  doctrine,  nor  by  the  violence  of  his  tyranny  ;  but  they 
have,  by  their  faith  and  patience,  and  word  of  their  tes- 
timony, withstood  him,  and  his  multitudes. 

Now  the  grounds  of  this  victory  here  named,  are  two. 
1.  The  first  is,  Because  they  are  of  God :   ¥e  are  of 
God,  little  children,  and  have  overcome  them. 

Antichrist  and  his  false  prophets  cannot  prevail  against 
the  truly  faithful,  because  they  arc  of  God,  as  the  Spirit 
also  speaks  elsewhere,  saying,  1  Cor.  i.  SO.  Of  him  are 
ye  in  Christ  Jesus  :  and  they  are  of  God,  as  children  are 
of  the  Father,  as  it  is  written,  James  i.  18.  Ofhisoicn 
will  begat  he  us,  hij  the  word  of  truth,  that  ice  should  he 
a  kind  of  first  fruits  of  his  creatures. 

So  that,  as  the  children  of  men,  are  of  their  fathers, 
through  a  natural  generatix)n,  and  being ;  so  the  faith- 
ful are  of  God,  through  a  spiritual  generation,  and  be- 
ing. 

And  as  the  children  of  men  partake  of  the  very  natur^ 
of  their  fathers,  so  do  the  children  of  God  partake  of  the 
divine  nature;  the  faithful  being  born  again,  not  of  cor- 
rnptible,  but  of  incorruptible  seed,  by  the  word  of  God, 
ivhich  lives  and  abides  for  ever. 

That  as  Jesus  Christ  (who,  according  to  his  human  na- 
ture, was  a  man,  and  in  all  things  like  to  us,  sin  except- 
ed) came  to  be  of  God,  and  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  through 
the  coming  and  dwelling  of  the  living  word  of  God  in 
his  flesh,  according  to  the  love,  will  and  counsel  of  the 
Father  ;  so  the  same  living  word,  coming  and  dwelling 
in  the  faithful,  his  members,  according  to  the  same  love, 
will,  and  counsel  of  God,  they  also  come  to  be  of  God 

-SO 


4^74  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

iu  Christ,  as  Christ  is  of  God,  according  to  his  human 
nature. 

And  as  Christ,  being  thus  of  God,  according  to  the 
Avord  of  God,  that  dwelt  in  his  human  nature,  overcame 
the  devil,  the  head  of  antichrist,  and  antichrist  and  his 
body,  the  temple  of  the  devil ;  so  do  all  Christ's  mem- 
bers overcome  antichrist,  and  his  prophets,  through  the 
same  living  word  of  God  dwelling  in  them,  or  through 
the  word  of  righteousness  and  life,  its  being  incarnate  in 
them,  that  is,  its  being  written  in  their  hearts  by  the  Spir- 
it, or  put  into  their  inward  parts.  Wherefore  Christ 
tlrroughout,  that  is,  from  the  head  itself  to  the  lowest 
member,  is  called  Immanuel,  God  with  us  :  or  which  is 
all  one,  God  manifested  iu  the  flesh. 

And  for  this  cause  these  faithful,  or  little  children  of 
God,  cannot  be  prevailed  against,  inasmuch  as  they  are 
of  God,  and  so  have  in  them,  by  true  union  and  commu- 
nion, the  nature  of  God,  and  the  word  of  God,  and  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  the  righteousness  of  God,  and  the 
wisdom  of  God,  and  the  power  of  God,  and  the  life  and 
light  of  God,  and  all  the  things  of  God  :  as  the  apostle 
Paul  saith,  In  the  neiv  creature  all  things  are  become 
neWf  and  all  things  (that  is,  all  these  new  things)  are  of 
Gfd,  (that  is,  they  are  the  very  things  of  God.)  And  so 
these  faithful  people  cannot  be  prevailed  against  by  an- 
tichrist, or  by  the  devil,  the  head  of  antichrist ;  but  they 
do  prevail  against  the  doctrine  of  antichrist,  by  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ;  against  the  spirit  of  antichrist,  by  the 
Spirit  of  Christ ;  against  the  sin  of  antichrist,  by  the 
righteousness  of  Christ ;  against  the  error  of  Jintichrist, 
by  the  truth  of  Christ ;  and  against  all  the  things  of  an- 
tichrist, by  the  infinite  and  eternal  things  of  Christ. 

Wherefore  you  see,  that  all  they  that  are  of  God, 
through  a  new  birth,  and  are  the  true  children  of  that 
heavenly  Father,  and  do  partake  of  his  divine  nature,  and 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  475 

all  his  divine  things,  they  cannot  be  overcome  of  anti- 
christ and  his  propliets  ;  but  they  do  mightily  overcome 
them  all,  through  that  immortal  seed  of  the  true  and  liv- 
ing word  of  God,  of  which  they  are  born,  and  in  which 
they  live  and  act. 

But,  they  that  are  overcome  by  antichrist  and  his 
teachers,  through  their  deceivableness  of  unrighteous- 
ness, they  never  were  the  true  children  of  God,  but 
hypocrites,  and  unbelievers,  under  a  form  of  godliness  ; 
that  is,  as  the  apostle  stiles  them,  bastards,  or  false  chil- 
dren, who  never  had  received  the  true  nature  of  God, 
through  faith. 

The  second  ground. 

And  now  follows  the  second  ground,  why  the  faith- 
ful cannot  be  overcome  by  antichrist,  and  his  prophets  ; 
to  wit, 

Because  greater  is  he  that  is  in  youp  than  he  that  is  in 
the  ivorld. 

And  here  the  Apostle  shews,  tliat  the  true  and  faithful 
christians,  are  not  only  of  God,  but  also  have  God  him- 
self dwelling  and  abiding  in  them  :  For  they  are  built  up 
by  the  Spirit,  to  be  the  habitation  of  God  ;  and  God  is  in 
them,  of  a  truth  ;  and  that,  not  by  created  habits  of  grace;, 
as  antichrist  and  his  prophets  have  thought  and  taught ; 
but  the  true  God  is  in  them,  of  a  truth,  and  he  dwells  in 
them,  and  walks  in  them,  as  himself  hath  said,  and  the 
tabernacle  of  God  is  ivith  men.  And  now,  as  the  sun  is 
never  without  its  light  and  heat,  and  all  its  virtues  ;  and 
wherever  it  goes,  all  these  go  along  with  it,  being  in 
separable  from  it ;  so,  wherever  the  Lord  God  comes,  he 
comes  with  all  his  righteousness,  wisdom,  power,  peace, 
joy,  and  all  his  infinite  and  eternal  things ;  and  where 
God  himself  is,  there  are  all  the  things  of  God. 

And  thus  God,  in  his  faithful  people,  is  greater  tlian 
he  is  that  is  in  the  world ;  that  is,  he  is  greater  than  an- 
tichrist, and  the  devil,  his  head.  He  is  greater  in  his  true 


470  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

word,  than  they  in  their  pretended  word  ;  greater  in  bis 
true  Spirit,  than  they  in  their  pretended  spirit;  greater  in 
his  true  rigliteousness,  than  they  in  their  pretended 
righteousness  ;  greater  in  his  true  wisdom  and  power, 
than  they  iu  their  pretended  wisdom  and  power,  &c. 
Greater  is  he  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world. 
Now  for  certain,  the  less  is  overcome  by  the  greater ; 
and  seeing,  God  and  his  Spirit,  in  his  saints,  is  greater  in 
goodness,  righteousness,  wisdom,  and  all  things,  than  the 
devil  is  in  antichrist  and  his  prophets  ;  therefore  the 
faithful,  in  whom  God  dwells,  and  manifests  himself, 
must  needs  overcome  antichrist  «,nd  his  false  prophets,  iu 
whom  the  devil  dwells,  and  manifests  himself. 

Now  hence  we  may  learn  several  things. 

And  first,  we  may  learn,  that  antichrist  can  prevail 
against  any  outward  form  of  religion  and  godliness, 
against  any  human  virtues  and  graces,  and  works,  and 
prayers,  or  any  thing  that  is  of  man,  or  flows  from  him, 
though  in  never  so  great  appearance  of  holiness  ;  as  we, 
by  sad  experience,  have  seen.  Many  men,  of  great  seem- 
ing religion,  famous  for  preaching,  and  praying,  and  re- 
puted pillars  in  the  church,  when  they  have  come  hither 
into  the  university  (where  antichrist  and  his  spirit  have 
remained  in  their  full  strength,  notwithstanding  the  great 
consumption  which  God  hath  brought  on  them  by  his 
word,  in  other  parts)  how  soon  have  they  ceased  from 
that  sense  of  the  gospel,  which  they  once  seemed  to  have 
had ;  and  how  suddenly  have  they  been  entangled  and 
overcome  with  the  spirit  of  the  university,  and  of  anti- 
christ, for  worldly  honour  and  advantage  sake?  and  so, 
the  highest  and  strongest  formal  religion  in  the  church, 
antichrist  can  soon  prevail  against. 

But  antichrist  can  never  prevail  against  God  in  th6 
saints,  nor  against  the  righteousness,  wisdom,  and  power 
of  God  iu  them,  all  which  are  contained  in  his  true  pre- 
sence ;  nor  against  the  faith,  hope,  and  love  of  saints, 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  477 

which  are  the  works  of  God  in  them  by  his  Spirit;  agaiost 
these  antichrist  cannot  prevail ;  For  greater  is  he  that  is 
in  us,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world. 

So  then,  if  thou  hast  any  thing  in  thee  that  is  truly  of 
God,  or  rather,  that  is  God  himself  in  thee,  antichrist 
caunot  overcome  it  by  all  his  arts  and  power  ;  but  he  will 
easily  overcome  any  thing  else.  Antichrist  cannot  pre- 
vail against  Immanuel,  which  is  God  with  us,  nor  against 
the  mystery  of  godliness  in  us,  which  is,  God  manifest 
in  the  flesh  ;  but  every  other  thing,  though  it  seem  never 
so  angelical,  he  prevails  against. 

2.  We  may  learn  hence,  that  it  is  not  an  easy  thing  to 
overcome  antichrist,  and  to  get  the  victory  over  that 
beast,  and  his  image,  and  his  mark,  and  the  number  of 
his  name  ;  seeing  antichrist's  coming  is  after  the  working 
of  Satan  (as  the  apostle  saith)  and  through  antichrist, 
the  devil  himself  speaks,  works,  and  acts;  yet  as  an 
angel  of  light,  in  all  lying*^  or  false  power,  wisdom  and 
iighteousness  :  and  this  he  doth  for  the  damnation  of 
men,  and  to  bring  them  all,  who  have  no  true  love  to  the 
truth,  to  perish  with  himself  for  ever.  And  his  operation 
of  error,  is  so  mighty  and  efficacious,  that  it  cannot  be 
resisted  and  overcome  by  any  in  all  the  world,  but  by 
those  who  are  born  of  God,  and  do  partake  of  his  nature 
and  presence  in  them.  For  the  power,  wisdom,  and  righte- 
ousness of  antichrist  and  his  prophets,  which  is  so  suita- 
ble to  the  nature  of  the  world,  and  so  glorious  in  its  eye, 
cannot  possibly  be  overcome,  but  by  the  true  power,  wis- 
dom, and  righteousness  of  God,  in  his  true  children  or 
prophets. 

3.  Hence  also  let  us  learn,  not  to  be  dismayed  at  anti- 
christ, and  his  prophets,  who  have,  in  all  ages,  got  such 
reputation,  power,  and  glory  to  themselves  in  the  world, 
because  of  their  seeming  learning,  righteousness,  and  re- 
ligion ;  seeing  Christ  in  us,  and  in  all  his  poor  people, 
is  infinitely  more  mighty  than  they  are,  and  the  devil  in 


478  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

them  ;  and  nothing  can  prevail  against  us,  except  first  it 
can  prevail  against  Christ.  Wherefore,  if  we,  in  our- 
selves, are  never  so  weak,  and  through  our  weakness 
never  so  fearful  and  trembling,  yet  let  us  not  be  discour- 
aged, or  faint,  seeing  our  might  is  not  in  ourselves,  but 
in  Christ,  who  dewlls  in  us,  and  who  is  infinitely  greater 
than  he  that  dwells  in  the  world.  He  that  dwells  in  us, 
through  faith,  is  greater  than  he  that  dwells  in  them 
through  unbelief:  and  in  his  strength,  let  us  abide  by  his 
word  and  doctrine,  even  to  suffering  and  death,  if  need 
be  :  and  in  all  these  evils  we  shall  overcome  them,  by 
whom  we  seem  to  be  overcome,  as  also  Christ  our  head  did. 
And  thus  much  for  the  fourth  general  thing. 
The  fifth  point. 

The  apostle  shews  with  whom  antichrist  and  his  teach- 
ers should  prevail,  to  wit,  with  the  worldly  and  carnal 
people,  verse  5. 

They  are  of  the  world,  therefore  sjjeaJc  they  of  the 
world,  and  the  world  hears  them. 

The  world  hears  them. 

Antichrist  and  his  prophets  prevail  with  the  world, 
and  worldly  people,  and  do  obtain  their  favour,  love,  and 
applause  :  and  they  are  their  auditors,  and  delight  in 
them  and  their  doctrine. 

Xow  by  the  world  here,  is  meant  such  people,  who 
though  they  have  an  outward  Christianity  and  religion, 
yet  inwardly  remain  in  their  natural  condition  and  cor- 
ruption, without  any  true  renewing  through  faith  and  the 
Spirit.  And  all  such  people,  notwithstanding  their  seem- 
ing religion  and  righteousness,  do  love  themselves  and 
this  world,  and  the  tilings  of  it,  better  than  Jesus  Christ, 
and  his  truth.  And  these  are  called  the  world  :  and  this 
world,  or  these  worldly  christians,  do  hear  and  entertain 
the  teachers  of  antichrist  and  their  doctrine. 

Two  grounds  of  which,  the  apostle  here  gives  us  (to 
wit,  why  these  people  cleave  to  these  teachers.) 


THE  TRIAL  GF  SPIRITS.  479 

1.  The  first  is,  because  these  teachers  are  of  the  workl. 

2.  Because  they  speak  of  the  world. 

i.  They  are  of  the  world. 
That^  is,  though,  by  their  breeding  and  profession, 
their  degrees  and  ordination,  they  seem  to  be  set  at  a 
great  distance  from  the  common  people,  and  to  be  nearer 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  linovvledge  and  possession 
of  it,  than  the  common  people  of  the  world  ;  yet  for  all 
this,  they,  in  deed,  and  in  truth,  are  still  of  the  world ; 
and  all  their  liberal  education,  their  manner  of  life,  their 
study,  knowledge,  learning,  languages,  sciences,  degrees, 
and  ordinations,  doth  not  at  all  change  their  inward  evil 
nature,  mind,  will,  aifections,  nor  the  corrupt  disposition 
and  principles  in  which  they  were  born;  but  notwith- 
standing all  these  things,  they  are  still  the  very  same 
throughout,  as  when  they  came  first  into  the  world,  be- 
ing destitute  of  a  new  birth,  and  heavenly  nature  :  Nay, 
by  all  these  things  they  are  more  taken  into  the  spirit  of 
the  world,  into  the  corruptions  and  evils  of  it,  into  tiie 
pride,  lust,  covetousness,  and  am])ition  of  it,  by  how 
much,  through  such  endowments  and  accomplishments, 
they  think  themselves  better  than  other  men  :  and  so,  not- 
withstanding their  academical  degrees,  and  ecclesiastical 
orders,  they  are  not  less,  but  more  of  the  world,  even 
fully  of  the  world. 

And  hence  we  may  learn,  that  it  is  not  study,  parts, 
breeding,  learning,  nor  any  natural  endowments,  or  ac- 
quired accomplishments,  that  will  deliver  any  man  out  of 
this  world  (or  corrupt  state  of  mankind)  or  that  can 
change  his  nature,  or  give  him  the  least  place  or  interest 
in  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  but  only  a  new  birth,  and  true 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  whereby  we  are  made  the  children 
of  God :  without  which,  men  are  still  of  the  world,  not- 
withstanding all  their  other  improvements. 

And  this  very  thing  manifests,  thnt  universities  cannot 


480  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS, 

be  the  fountains  of  the  true  ministry  of  the  gospel,  seeing 
all  the  education  in  it,  philosophical,  meral,  and  theolo- 
gical,  cannot  cliange  mens  natures,  or  deliver  them  from 
their  corruptions,  or  translate  them  one  hair's  breadth 
out  of  this  present  evil  world  ;  yea,  generally  we  see, 
that  by  university-education  (as  things  have  hitherto 
been  managed)  youth  is  made  more  of  the  world,  than 
they  were  by  nature,  through  the  high  improvement  of 
their  corruptions,  by  their  daily  converse  with  the  hea- 
thens, their  vain  philosophers,  and  filthy  and  obscene 
poets  ;  and  by  these  heathenish,  abominable  accomplish- 
ments, are  they  made  the  more  fit  teachers  for  the  world 
and  worldly  people,  and  become  the  more  suitable  to 
them,  and  obtain  the  greater  aptness  and  ability  to  please 
them.  Wherefore  it  may  be  most  truly  said  of  that  min- 
istry that  flows  merely  from  the  fountain  of  the  universi- 
ties,  that  it  is  of  the  Avorld. 

And  now,  when  the  teachers  are  of  one  nature  and 
principle,  of  one  heart,  mind,  and  consent  with  the  hear- 
ers, there  must  needs  be  a  great  agreement  betiveen  them; 
for  each  one  approves  and  loves  that  which  is  like  him- 
self; and  so  the  worldly  people  must  needs  cleave  to  the 
teachers  that  are  of  the  world. 

Yea  farther,  and  which  is  very  considerable,  the  world 
can  endure  and  like  any  doctrine,  though  in  the  letter 
never  so  holy  and  spiritual,  from  such  teachers  as  are  of 
one  nature  and  spirit  with  itself.  And  he  that  speaks  of 
the  things  of  Christ,  without  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  by 
the  spirit  of  the  world,  can  never,  by  any  such  doctrine, 
be  grievous  to  the  world,  but  rather  acceptable  :  Seeing 
there  is  more  in  the  nature  of  those  teachers  to  reconcile 
the  world  to  them,  than  in  their  doctrine  to  set  the  world 
against  them  :  For  the  world  cannot  but  agree  with  those 
teachers  that  are  of  the  world,  let  their  doctrine,  in  the 
letter,  be  what  it  will. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  481 

Whereas,  on  the  contrary,  the  faithful  are  not  of  the 
world,  but  of  another  seed,  nature,  and  principle,  which 
is  in  direct  enmity  to  the  world  ;  and  so  they,  speaking 
the  things  of  Christ,  in  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  must  needs 
be  grievous  and  troublesome  to  them  who  have  the  Spirit 
of  the  world;  and  the  friends  of  Christ  crucified,  cannot 
but  be  grievous  to  the  friends  of  this  world. 
And  this  for  the  first  ground. 

2.  The  second  ground,  why  the  worldly  people  hear 
the  worldly  teachers,  is  this. 

Because  they  speak  of  the  world.  • 

For  as  they  are,  so  they  speak;  Out  of  the  abundance 
of  the  heart,  the  mouth  speaketh;  and  so  they  that  are  of 
the  world,  speak  of  the  world:  and  this  we  may  conceive 
of  in  three  particulars. 

1.  The  worldly  teachers  speak  of  the  world;  that  is, 
they  speak  the  spiritual  word  of  God,  in  a  carnal  and 
worldly  sense;  they  speak  of  divine  things,  as  of  human 
things,  according  to  their  natural  and  human  mind,  reason, 
knowledge,  learning,  and  understanding  of  them.  And 
"SO,  they  give  forth  Christ  himself,  and  his  kingdom,  and 
all  his  things,  his  redemption,  reconciliation,  salvation; 
as  also  faith,  hope,  love,  and  all  the  graces  of  the  Spirit, 
and  riches  of  Christ;  they  give  forth  all  these  things,  in  a 
carnal  understanding  and  notion  to  the  people.  And  the 
world  can  esteem  Christ,  his  kingdom,  and  things,  in  a 
worldly  sense;  they  can  bear,  or  endure  faith  and  repen- 
tance, and  the  new  creature,  and  the  new  Jerusalem,  in  a 
carnal  sense;  while  in  the  true  spiritualsenseof  them,  and 
as  they  are  in  themselves,  and  according  to  the  mind  of 
Christ,  they  are  the  greatest  enemies  to  them  that  can  be. 

Now  believers  must  know  in  this  matter,  that  whoever 
speaks  the  things  of  God's  Spirit,  by  the  spirit  of  a  man, 
or  spiritual  things,  in  a  human,  carnal,  and  worldly  sense^ 

3  P 


18S  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

is  a  false  prophet^  and  teacher  of  antichrist.  Wlioever 
reading  or  hearing  the  gospel  of  God  our  Saviour,  doth 
understand  and  frame  it  after  his  own  human  sense,  and 
doth  not  so  understand  it  as  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it,  he 
is  a  false  prophet,  understanding  and  speaking  the  gospel 
after  his  own  mind,  hut  contrary  to  Christ;  and  these 
open  their  own  hearts  to  the  people,  and  not  God's. 

Now  when  the  people  that  are  of  the  world,  hear  the 
teachers  that  are  of  the  world,  speaking  spiritual  things 
in  a  carnal  and  worldly  sense,  and  according  to  such  an 
apprehension  as  they  have  already  in  their  own  hearts, 
they  do  exceedingly  cleave  to,  and  embrace  such  teachers, 
and  their  doctrine. 

For  with  such  doctrine,  man,  in  his  natural  condition, 
is  well  satisfied,  seeing  it  leads  men  only  to  a  change  of 
outward  works,  and  to  a  performance  of  outward  wor- 
ship, which  any  man,  by  his  own  natural  abilities,  can 
perform:  and  the  world  can  well  endure  to  put  on  the 
fairest  form  of  godliness,  and  the  strictest,  so  their  nature 
inwardly  may  remain  the  same.  • 

And  thus  the  worldly  people  comply  readily  with  the 
worldly  doctrine  of  the  worldly  teachers,  seeing  it  is  af- 
ter the  sense  and  mind  of  man. 

But  on  the  contrary,  Christ  and  his  seed,  as  they  are 
not  of  the  world,  so  neither  do  they  speak  of  the  world, 
but  being  of  God,  they  speak  the  things  of  God,  accord- 
ing to  God;  they  speak  of  the  things  of  God  by  the  Spirit 
of  God,  and  so  according  to  the  mind  of  God:  they  speak 
of  the  things  of  God,  in  the  wisdom,  righteousness,  truth, 
light  and  life  of  God;  and  thus  the  world  cannot  endure 
the  word,  nor  those  that  teach  it. 

2.  The  prophets  of  antichrist  speak  of  the  world,  that 
is,  they  turn  the  word  of  God  into  worldly  and  carnal 
doctrine,  for  worldly  advantage  sake;  they  preach  the 
spiritual  word  of  God  carnally,  that  they  may  make  it 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  483 

serve  their  own  turns  and  ends.  That  word  of  the  gos- 
pel^ wliich  God  hath  given  only  to  serve  the  spiritual 
and  eternal  welfare  of  liis  church,  the  worldly  teachers 
frame  and  use  tJiis,  only  thereby  to  serve  their  own 
worldly  credit  and  reputation,  their  worldly  profit  and 
preferment,  and  their  worldly  authority  and  dominion. 

And  thus  that  word  of  faith,  which,  in  its  own  proper 
nature  and  working,  calls  oif  all  men  from  this  world, 
and  the  things  of  it,  to  the  kingdom  and  glory  of  God ; 
they  make  this  very  word  to  sound  carnally,  that  by  it 
they  may  seek  themselves,  and  the  things  of  this  present 
life. 

But  Christ  and  his  seed,  w^ho  are  of  God,  they  speak 
of  God,  and  not  of  the  world,  seeking  no  worldly  thing 
at  all  by  the  word  of  God,  which  they  teach  and  hold 
forth,  as  is  manifest  in  the  life  of  Christ,  and  his  chris- 
tians. 

3.  The  ministers  of  antichrist,  or  worldly  teach ers^, 
speak  of  the  world ;  that  is,  they  turn  the  word  of  God 
into  worldly  doctrine,  that  thereby  they  may  avoid  the 
cross,  which  the  word  of  God,  in  the  spiritual  sense  of 
it,  would  certainly  expose  them  to.  But  now  these 
worldly  teachers,  as  they  love  the  world,  so  they  can- 
not endure  the  cross,  that  is,  reproach,  poverty,  shame, 
sufferings  and  death,  for  the  true  word.  Wherefore 
they  preach  the  gospel  in  such  a  sense  as  shall  please 
the  world,  but  never  offend  them  ;  as  shall  make  the 
world  their  friends,  but  never  their  enemies ;  for  they 
cannot  endure  to  think  of,  much  less  to  suffer,  the  utmost 
hatred  and  persecution  of  the  world,  for  Christ's  name's 
sake.  Wherefore  I  say  again,  though  in  Christ,  they 
will  praise  his  reproach,  his  shame,  his  poverty,  his  tri- 
bulation, his  death  and  crucifying,  yet  they  cannot  endure 
these  things  in  themselves,  for  his  truth's  sake  ;  but  are 
most  careful  and  studious  to  preach  the  word  of  God  in 
such  a  worldly  sense,  as  shall  never  provoke  the  world 


48^  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

against  them,  to  do  them  the  least  harm ;  but  shall  rather 
incline  them  to  confer  upon  them,  according  to  their  own 
phrase,  all  countenance  and  maintenance.  And  thus  the 
worldly  teachers  speak  of  the  world,  in  this  sense  also. 

But  Christ  and  his  seed,  who  are  of  God,  they  speak 
not  of  the  world,  but  of  God  ;  that  is,  they  speak  the 
word  of  God,  according  to  God,  never  regarding  whe- 
ther the  world  be  pleased  or  displeased  therewith.  Yea, 
they  speak  God's  word  according  to  God's  mind,  though 
they  certainly  know  that  it  will  procure  them  all  sorts 
of  reproaches,  and  tribulations,  and  all  manner  of  evil 
to  be  spoken  and  done  against  them  ;  inasmuch  as  they 
iove  God  and  his  word,  more  than  themselves  and  this 
world  :  and  so,  they  are  so  far  from  declining  the  cross 
of  Chj;ist,  which  the  right  confession  of  the  word  will 
bring  upon  them,  that  they  account  it  their  greatest  glo- 
rifying, to  Imve,  felloivship  with  Christ  in  his  sufferings, 
avd  to  be  made  conformable  to  him  in  his  death:  all  which 
things  he  endured,  because  he  spake  God's  word  accord- 
ing to  Gods  mind,  and  contrary  to  the  mind  of  the  world, 
and  worldly  church. 

And  thus  we  see  by  John^s  doctrine,  who  spake  by 
the  Spirit,  who  they  are,  with  whom  antichrist  and  his 
false  prophets  prevail,  to  wit,  the  world,  and  worldly 
people ;  as  also  the  grounds  why  they  prevail  with  them, 
namely,  because  they  are  of  the  world,  and  speak  of  the 
world. 

And  now  for  the  use. 

The  world  hears  these  teachers,  who  are,  and  speak 
of  the  world. 

And  hence,  first  we  learn,  that  antichrist  and  his  pro- 
phets, the  worldly  teachers,  come  with  such  deceiveable- 
ness  of  unrighteousness,  that  no  natural  or  worldly  men 
whatever,  of  whatever  parts,  learning,  knowledge,  righ- 
teousness; can  possibly  discern  tliem.     If  men  arc  but 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  4S5 

uatiiral  men,  though  never  so  accomplished,  antichrist 
deceives  them  all,  and  makes  them  his  disciples. 

For  antichrist  comes  so  subtilly,  and  in  such  glorious 
appearances  of  holiness  and  religion,  that  none  can  know 
him  and  his  ways,  except  they  be  singularly  taught  of 
God ;  according  to  that  of  Christ  to  his  disciples,  To 
you  it  is  given  to  knoio  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  ;  to  them  it  is  not  given.  And  to  whom  it  is  given 
to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  to  them 
also  it  is  given  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of 
antichrist :  and  none  can  truly  know,  either  the  one,  or 
the  other,  without  a  special  gift  from  God. 

Whence  it  is  most  evident,  tliat  men  are  not  able  to 
understand  antichrist,  and  his  kingdom,  and  things,  as 
they  are  men  learned  in  philosophy,  and  in  the  know- 
ledge of  the  tongues,  or  as  they  are  men  of  such  and 
such  degrees  and  titles  in  the  university,  or  of  such  and 
such  ecclesiastical  orders  in  the  church  :  I  say,  men,  by 
all  such  abilities  and  accomplishments,  as  they  speak, 
are  not  able  to  discern  antichrist,  but  rather  are  the  more 
ready  to  be  overcome  by  him,  seeing,  by  all  these  human 
and  ecclesiastical  things,  antichrist  can  lay  the  faster  hold 
on  them,  and  make  them  the  more  his  own. 

And  antichrist  must  needs  be  unknown  to  such  men, 
inasmuch  as  Christ  himself,  as  he  is  held  forth  in  the 
word,  and  whatever  he  is  and  doth,  both  in  himself 
and  members,  is  wholly  unknown  to  them ;  yea^  is  so 
strangely  unknown,  that,  by  a  prodigious  mistake,  they 
do  judge  Christ,- and  his  members,  and  their  doctrine,  to 
be  antichrist,  and  his  members,  and  their  doctrine  :  And 
on  the  contrary,  antichrist  and  his  members,  and  their 
doctrine,  they  do  account  and  esteem  of,  as  of  Christ 
himself,  and  his  members  and  their  doctrine.  And  thus 
is  the  multitude  of  carnal  christians,  which  are  even  the 
whole  world  almost,  through  the  effectual  operation  of 
Satan,  brought  to  think  and  believe  assuredly,  that  the 


^S6  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

prophets  of  antichrist,  who  handle  the  scriptures  car. 
nally,  and  after  the  mind  of  man,  do  verily  teach  the 
very  doctrine  and  truth  of  God ;  and  of  this  they  are  so 
confident,  that  they  would  have  the  worldly  powers  and 
magistrates  to  force  all  men  to  believe  as  they  say,  and 
to  practise  as  they  command.  Yea,  these  worldly  men, 
with  all  their  worldly  accomplishments,  are  so  deluded 
by  antichrist,  that  whilst  they  oppose  and  persecute  the 
faithful  people  of  God,  or  rather  Christ  himself,  and  his 
word,  worRs,  truth,  and  righteousness  in  them,  they 
verily  think  they  oppose  and  persecute  antichrist  him- 
self, and  the  falseness  of  his  members.  And  as  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  the  chief  teachers  of  the  Jewish 
church,  being  deceivers  themselves,  did  yet  call  Christ 
a  deceiver,  and  in  killing  and  crucifying  him,  thought 
they  did  God  good  service :  so  the  carnal  clergy,  and  the 
head  of  them,  being  antichrists  themselves,  do  yet  tell 
of,  and  terrify  people  with  another  antichrist:  And  being 
seducers  themselves,  do  yet  rise  up  against  the*  very 
members  of  Christ,  as  seducers,  that  thereby  they  may 
boast  themselves  to  be  righteous.  So  thoroughly  and 
perfectly  hath  antichrist  deluded  and  enchanted  them, 
through  the  cup  of  the  ivine  of  Ms  fornications. 

Thus  the  whole  world  is  overcome  by  antichrist,  and 
cannot,  by  all  their  highest  attainments  discern  him  from 
Christ ;  only  they,  who  are  born  of  God,  and  are  his 
true  children,  and,  being  plain,  simple,  meek,  and  lowly 
in  spirit,  are  taught  of  God  ;  these  only  know  antichrist^ 
and  overcome  him ;  but  these  are  the  little  flock. 

Secondly,  In  that  the  w  orld  hears  the  ministers  of  an- 
tichrist. 

We  are  given  to  understand,  that  men  that  are  of  a 
worldly  spirit,  and  through  that,  are  addicted  to  the 
world,  and  so  seek  and  follow  after  the  profits,  pleasures, 
and  honours  of  this  life,  they  cannot  possibly  understand 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  487 

the  impostures  and  deceits  of  antichrist  and  his  teachers, 
but  they  all  are  seduced  and  overcome  by  them. 

Whoever  therefore  do  profess  or  pretend  to  religion 
and  godliness,  and  nevertlieless  live  in  the  spirit  of  this 
world,  and  are  swallowed  up  with  tlie  cares  and  com- 
forts of  this  world,  all  such  christians  are  a  fit  prey  for 
antichrist:  Seeing, 

1.  Such  carnal  christians  are  so  addicted  to- worldly 
occasions,  that  they  cannot  attend  to  the  word  of  God  in 
tlie  spiritual  sense  of  it,  which  is  only  known  by  temp- 
tation, prayer,  and  God's  own  teaching.  And  hereupon 
they  want  the  true  light,  by  which  only  antichrist  can  be 
discerned.  For  antichrist  comes  in  so  great  subtilty  and 
likeness  to  Christ,  that  he  cannot  be  perceived,  but  by 
christians  much  acquainted  with  the  word,  and  much 
mortified  and  quickened  through  it. 

2.  Such  carnal  christians  as  they,  neglect  the  word 
in  the  spirituality  of  it,  so  also  they  do  love  this  world, 
and  this  quenches  in  their  hearts  the  love  of  God  :  as 
John  saith,  If  any  man  love  this  world,  the  love  of  the 
Father  is  not  in  him  ;  now  they  whose  hearts  are  in- 
wardly destitute  of  the  true  love  of  God,  and  yet  do  out- 
wardly profess  and  worship  God,  all  these  are  a  fit  prey 
for  antic  lirist. 

And  thus  the  world,  loving  and  seeking  itself,  and  its 
own  things,  receives  antichrist  whilst  it  cannot  discern 
him.  Wherefore  the  scriptures  do  every  where  give 
christians  so  many  warnings  against  covetousness,  which 
takes  from  men  all  true  desire  after  Christ,  and  all  re- 
gard, sense,  and  knowledge  of  antichrist.  Christ  there- 
fore said  to  his  disciples,  Take  heed  and  beware  of  co- 
vetousness; for  where  the  treasure  is,  there  will  the 
heart  he  also,  &c.  And  thus  all  they,  who  are  lovers 
of  themselves,  and  of  tliis  world,  the  greater  outward 
profession  they  make  of  religion,  the  more  ready  are 
they  to  receive  and  entertain  the  ministers  of  antichrist, 


488  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

and  Iheii"  doctrine,  seeing  they  are,  and  speak,  of  the 
world. 

3.  Seeing  the  world  hears  antichrist,  and  his  teachers, 
we  are  to  take  notice,  that  the  carnal  and  autichristian 
ministers  liave  a  numerous  auditory,  all  the  worldly  peo- 
ple cleaving  and  joining  to  them,  because  they  speak 
that  which  is  in  their  hearts.  And  therefore  it  is  saidy 
Mev.  xvii.  15.  That  the  icaters,  whereon  the  great  whore, 
(that  is,  the  ecclesiastical  state,  which  chiefly  consists  in 
the  clergy,)  sitteth,  are  peojjle,  and  multitudes,  and  na- 
tions, and  tongues;  so  that  the  false  prophets  have  all 
the  world  to  hear  them,  except  the  faithful  and  spiritual 
people,  and  muUitude  is  a  certain  sign  of  their  church. 
And  Rev.  xv,  7.  it  is  said,  that  power  teas  given  to  an- 
tichrist, over  all  kindreds,  and  nations;  and  that  all  that 
dwell  on  the  earth  shall  worship  him,  whose  names  are 
not  wiHtten  in  the  Lamb's  hook  of  life. 

And  thus  hath  antichrist  riiultitudes,  even  the  whole 
world,  to  follow  his  teachers,  and  to  submit  to  them.  But 
let  not  the  true  church,  and  little  flock  of  crucified  Jesus, 
be  offended  hereat,  seeing,  they  are  but  the  world  who 
hear  antichrist's  teachers,  that  is,  they  are  such  people, 

1.  Whose  inward  nature  is  earthly,  carnal,  devilish. 

S.  Such,  who  love  an  outward  form  of  religion  and 
godliness,  whilst  they  are  bitter  enemies  to  the  power  of  it. 

3.  Such,  who  love  such  a  doctrine  and  religion,  as 
may  stand  with  their  old  corrupt  nature,  and  may  beau- 
tify and  support  it;  and  so  may  make  them  painted  sepul- 
chres, outwardly  fair,  whilst  they  are  inwardly  abomi- 
nable. 

4.  Sudi,  who  love  the  word,  in  the  sense  of  their  own 
mind,  but  hate  and  abhor  it,  in  the  sense  of  Christ's  mind; 
and  reckon  it  so,  to  be  the  greatest  error  and  heresy  in 
the  world. 

5.  Such,  as  so  profess  Christ  and  his  gospel,  as  to  make 
them  serve  their  own  worldly  ends  and  advantages,  with- 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS  489 

out  the  least  regard  or  respect  had  to  Christ's  true  king- 
dom. 

6.  Such,  as  love  themselves  and  their  own  things,  the 
provisions  of  the  flesh,  and  a  quiet,  easy,  and  commo- 
dious life,  better  than  Christ  Jesus  and  his  things. 

7.  In  a  word,  they  are  such,  as  under  tlie  glorious 
profession,  and  subtil  pretence  of  Christ's  church,  are 
truly  and  inwardly  the  church  of  the  devil  and  antichrist. 

Such  a  people,  and  no  other,  have  antichrist  to  liear 
them,  and  to  embrace  and  depend  on  them,  and  their  doc- 
trine, ministry,  and  ordinances ;  that  is,  the  multitude  of 
false  and  carnal  christians,  which  are  almost  the  whole 
world  of  the  outward  professors  of  the  gospel  and  Chris- 
tianity. For  as  antichrist  and  his  prophets  are  of  the  world, 
and  speak  of  the  world,  so  also  the  world  hears  them. 
And  thus  much  for  the  fifth  point. 
The  sixth  point. 

In  the  sixth  place  the  apostle  shews,  how  the  Spirit  of 
truth  and  error  may  be  known  in  the  people,  as  well  as  ia 
the  teachers,  to  wit,  by  the  peoples  cleaving  to  the  teach- 
ers of  truth,  or  to  the  teachers  of  error,  saying,  ver.  6. 

We  are  of  God;  he  that  knoweth  God  Jieareth  us;  he 
that  is  not  of  God,  heareth  not  us;  hereby  know  ice  the 
Spirit  of  truth,  and  the  spirit  of  error. 

We  are  of  God;  to  wit,  according  to  his  new  work- 
manship in  Christ  Jesus,  through  which  we  partake  of 
the  true  nature  of  God  in  Christ,  as  members,  as  Christ 
himself  doth  partake  of  that  nature,  as  head  ;  and  being 
thus  of  God,  we  cannot  but  confess  God,  his  name,  and 
truth,  in  our  heart,  mouth,  and  life. 

He  that  knoweth  God,  heareth  us;  that  is,  he  that  know- 
eth God,  through  tlie  teaching  of  God,  knoweth  us  who 
are  born  and  taught  of  God ;  because  we  speak  to  tliem  of 
God,  and  the  things  of  God,  as  God  himself  hath  taught 
them  of  himself,  and  of  his  things;  and  therefore  they 
readily  receive  from  us  that  testimony  of  the  truth,  which 

3Q 


490  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS, 

God  himself,  either  hath  already  inwardly  taught  them^ 
or  doth  teach  them  by  his  Spirit,  whilst  we  yet  speak  by 
that  spirit.  And  so  they  hear  us,  by  being  satisfied,  and 
acquiescing,  or  being  at  rest,  in  the  true  and  wholesome, 
and  saving  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  we  teach. 
Hereby  know  we  the  Spirit  of  truths  to  wit,  in  the  hear- 
ers; when  they  cleave  to  the  truth  of  the  Spirit,  or  to 
the  truth,  as  it  is  and  dwells  in  Jesus,  published  by  the 
teachers  of  truth. 

It  follows. 

He  that  is  not  of  God  heareth  not  lis;  that  is,  he  that  is 
not  of  God,  through  a  new  birth,  and  the  renewing  of 
the  Spirit,  and  so  is  destitute  of  the  divine  nature,  or  of 
the  eternal  word  and  Spirit,  which,  through  his  unbelief, 
have  no  place  in  his  heart :  He  that,  thus,  is  not  of  God, 
but  contrarily  is  of  the  devil,  through  sin,  error,  dark- 
ness, death,  enmity  to  God,  and  his  whole  evil  nature, 
he  heareth  not  us;  that  is^  he  doth  not  taste,  and  relish, 
and  approve,  and  receive,  and  embrace,  and  love  the 
word  of  faith,  and  mystery  of  Christ  and  his  gospel, 
which  we  teach;  but  doth  rather  hate,  oppose,  reproach 
and  persecute  our  doctrine. 

And  hereby  know  we  also  the  spirit  of  error,  to  wit, 
in  the  hearers,  when  they  do  not  receive  the  word  of  truth 
from  the  teachers  of  truth,  but  do  contrarily  cleave  to  hu- 
man, and  philosophical,  or  moral,  or  formal,  and  national 
doctrine,  published  and  held  forth  by  the  teachers  of  er- 
ror. 

Now  hence  it  is  evident,  that  there  are  two  heads,  or 
chief  teachers  in  the  world,  which  are  Christ  and  anti- 
christ; and  also,  that  there  are  two  seeds,  or  generations, 
which  ilow  from  them,  begotten  by  their  doctrine  :  The 
one  is  -Christ's  seed,  the  other  is  antichrist's  seed;  and 
each  sort  of  these  people,  do  join  themselves  to  their  se- 
veral and  proper  heads;  and  by  this  they  are  certainly 
distinguished,  known,  and  discerned. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  491 

Antichrist  and  iiis  false  teachers,  who  are  the  head  of 
the  malignant  church  and  people,  they  come  in  great 
pomp  and  glory,  as  to  the  eye  of  the  world,  being  bean- 
titled  and  dignified  with  degrees,  names,  and  titles  ;  be- 
ing exalted  to  great  honour,  authority,  and  power  ;  being 
full  of  fleshly  wisdom,  rhetorical  eloquence,  and  philoso- 
phical learning ;  and  so,  to  human  judgment,  they  are 
the  most  considerable  persons  in  the  church,  and  \ery 
angels  of  light  in  appearance.  And  they,  being  thus 
adorned  and  beautified,  to  the  pleasing  and  content  of 
the  world,  all  the  world  come  in,  and  commit  fornication 
"with  them,  and  do  hear  and  receive  them^  and  are  con- 
quered by  their  enchantments. 

But  Christ  and  his  teachers  come  in  true  humility^  and 
self-denial,  and  meekness,  and  lowliness,  and  without 
the  titles  and  glories  of  the  false  teachers,  which  they 
utterly  despise  and  refuse ;  and  without  all  excellency 
of  speech,  and  wisdom,  and  learning  of  this  world  ;  and 
these  do  contradict  the  religion  and  righteousness  of  the 
world,  and  speak  the  truth  which  is  of  God,  hy  the 
Spirit  which  is  of  God  :  and  these  teachers,  all  the  true 
sheep  of  Christ,  the  faithful  flock,  do  own  and  acknow- 
ledge, and  they  come  and  hear  the  words  of  their  lips  ; 
being  assured,  that  it  is  not  they  that  speak,  but  the 
Spirit  of  their  Father  which  speaks  in  them. 

For  the  body  and  members  of  Christ,  do  necessarily 
cleave  to  Christ  their  head  ;  and  the  body  and  members 
of  antichrist,  do  in  like  manner  necessarily  cleave  to  an- 
tichrist their  head.  And  as  the  body  and  members  of 
Christ  do  cleave  to  Christ  their  head,  and  to  those  that 
are  in  his  Spirit,  and  will  not  join  to  antichrist,  and  to 
those  that  are  in  his  spirit ;  so  also  the  body  and  mem- 
bers of  antichrist,  do  cleave  to  antichrist  their  head,  and 
those  that  are  in  his  spirit,  and  will  not  join  to  Christy 
and  to  those  that  are  in  his  Spirit. 

For  such  as  the  body  itself  is,  such  a  head  will  it 


49S  THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS. 

choose  to  itself ;  and  so  a  spiritual,  heavenly  and  faith- 
ful people,  will  join  themselves  to  such  a  teacher,  or 
rather  to  Christ  himself,  in  and  through  him :  And  a 
carnal,  worldly,  and  unbelieving  people,  will  join  them- 
selves to  such  a  teacher,  and  to  antichrist  himself  in  and 
through  him. 

Wherefore,  as  they  that  hear  the  true  teachers,  and 
Christ  in  them,  and  do  join  and  cleave  by  faith  to  the 
word  and  doctrine  which  they  hear,  knowing  that  it  is 
of  God,  as  all  such  are  certainly  of  God,  even  his  true 
children  and  people,  and  the  true  sheep  of  Christ,  inas- 
much as  they  know  his  voice,  and  cleave  to  it :  So  they 
that  hear  the  false  teachers,  and  antichrist  in  them,  and 
do  cleave  to  their  doctrine  and  ministry,  and  do  like, 
commend,  and  applaud  that,  all  such  are  not  of  God, 
but  of  their  father  the  devil,  and  the  true  and  natural 
members  and  people  of  antichrist. 

And  this  very  doctrine,  Christ  himself  hath  clearly 
taught  in  his  gospel ;  as  John  v.  43.  where  he  saith  to  the 
Jews,  1  am  come  in  mij  Father^ s  name,  and  ye  receive  me 
not ;  another  shall  come  in  his  oivn  name,  and  him  ye 
will  receive.  That  is,  the  unbelieving  Jews  would  not 
come  and  cleave  to  Christ  as  their  head,  though  coming 
in  the  name  of  God,  that  is,  in  the  true  power,  wisdom, 
and  righteousness  of  God,  because  they  were  none  of 
Christ's  own  sheep  ;  but  antichrist,  coming  in  his  own 
name,  that  is,  iu  his  own  power,  wisdom,  and  righteous- 
ness, they  receive  him,  and  join  to  him  as  to  their  own 
true  and  natural  head.  And  again,  John  viii.  47.  Christ 
saith  to  tiie  Jews,  He  that  is  of  God,  heareth  God^s  word: 
ye  therefore  hear  it  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  God. 

Whence  it  appears,  that  to  hear  and  cleave  to  the  true 
■word  of  God,  taught  and  held  forth  by  Christ  and  his 
prophets,  is  a  manifest  token  that  men  are  of  God  ;  but 
to  turn  away  from  it,  and  to  despise  it,  and  to  embrace 
another  doctriae;  is  as  manifest  a  sign;  that  they  are  not 


THE  TRIAL  OF  SPIRITS.  493 

of  God,  but  of  the  devil ;  as  Christ  saith,  to  the  same 
people,  ver.  44.  le  are  f  your  Father  the  devil ;  for 
there  is  no  truth  in  him,  and  he  abides  not  in  the  truth, 
no  more  do  ye.  Again,  John  x.  4,  5.  Christ  saith,  His 
own  sheep  folloic  him,  the  true  Shepherd,  because  they 
knoic  his  voice  ;  and  a  stranger  will  they  not  follow, 
but  jiee  from  him,  because  they  know  not  the  voice  of 
strangers. 

Wherefore,  they  that  hear  the  word  of  faith,  in  the 
true  teachers  of  the  gospel,  they  have  in  them  the  Spirit 
of  truth  ;  but  they  that  dislike  and  disrelish  that  word, 
and  join  to  the  teachers  and  doctrine  of  antichrist,  they 
all  have  in  them  the  spirit  of  error. 

And  therefore  it  concerns  ns,  more  than  the  world  is 
aware  of,  to  take  heed  whom  we  hear  :  For  if  we  cleave 
to  the  teachers  of  truth,  as  hath  been  declared,  then  have 
we  the  Spirit  of  truth ;  but  if  to  the  teachers  of  error, 
then  are  we  of  the  spirit  of  error. 

And  thus  this  scripture  teacheth  us  how  to  know  and 
discern  the  Spirit,  both  of  Christ  and  of  antichrist,  and 
that  both  in  the  teachers  and  in  the  hearers  ;  both  which 
are  of  great  use  to  the  true  church  of  God  in  all  times, 
but  especially  in  these  last  times.  And  these  things  I 
have  spoken  and  testified  freely,  according  to  the  mea- 
sure of  grace  given,  knowing  that  they  will  be  as  accep- 
table to  the  true  friends  and  members  of  Christ  crucified, 
as  they  are  troublesome  and  displeasing  to  the  members 
of  antichrist. 


PLAIN  AND  NECESSARY 

CONFUTATION 

OF  DIVERS  GROSS  AND 

ANTICHRISTIAN  ERRORS, 

DELIVERED 

TO  THE  UNIVERSITY  CONGREGATION,  AT  THE 
PUBLIC  COMMENCEMENT,  Anno  1653. 


Br  MU  SFBRnlCH  8IMPS0^\ 

MASTER  OF  PEMBROKE  HALL  IN  CAMBRIDGE. 


JPotentior  est  Veritas  quam  eloquentia,  potioi*  spiritus  quam  inge- 
nium,  major,  fides  quam  eruditio:  Et  ut  Paulus  ait,  stuItumDei 
sapientius  est  hominibus.  Luther.  Efiist.  ad  Cas/iar.  Bornerum, 
Profes.  Lifisens. 

Non  est  istud  temeritas,  sed  fides;  neque  inconsideratio,  sed  ratio; 
Tieque  furor,  sed  fiducia.  Hilarhis  lib.  contjr.  Constantiuiu  Augua- 
lufn. 


497 

An  *B.pology  to  the  iMader,  touching  the  following  Re- 
ply to  Mr  Sych'ach  Simpson^ s  Sermon. 

IF  it  shall  seem  grievous  to  any,  that  I  have  dealt 
thus  freely  and  plainly  with  Mr  Sydrach  Simpson,  one 
of  the  first  Pastors  of  an  Independent  Congregation  in 
Jtlngland;  let  them  consider  how  Paul  dealt  with  those 
brethren,  Gal.  ii.  to  whom,  according  to  his  right  zeal, 
and  the  present  occasion,  he  gave  no  place  by  subjection, 
no  not  for  an  hour,  that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  might 
continue  with  the  Galatians;  and  though  those  brethren 
seemed  to  be  somewhat,  yet,  saith  Paul,  whatever  they 
are,  it  makes  no  matter  to  me,  seeing  God  accepteth  no 
man^s  person :  And  so,  notwithstanding  their  reputa- 
tion, he  did  not  spare  them.  Yea,  let  them  consider  how 
Paul  at  Antioch  withstood  Peter  to  the  face,  for  dissem- 
bling  with  the  Jews  in  the  case  of  the  Gentiles,  and  for 
not  walking  uprightly  according  to  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
pel: wherefore  Paul  did  publickly  and  sharply  reprove 
him  before  them  all.  For  no  true  believer  is  to  keep  si- 
lence, when  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  is  corrupted  by 
the  doctrines  of  men,  or  is  to  be  modest  in  this  matter. 
Wherefore  I  was  compelled  to  speak  thus  plainly  to 
him,  for  his  gross  prevarication  in  the  things  of  Grod  : 
and  I  am  well  satisfied  in  my  conscience  in  the  discharge 
of  my  duty,  whatever  shall  be  the  censure  of  carnal 
christians,  who  have  no  true  sense  of  the  glory  of  Christ's 
gospel;  or  of  the  profit  of  his  people,  whom  yet  Christ 
so  loved,  as  to  lay  down  his  life,  and  to  be  cinicified,  for 
them. 

Again,  if  it  shall  offend  any,  that  I  deal  thus  roundly 
against  human  learning;  let  them  know,  that  I  am  not 
against  human  learning  upon  all  accounts,  but  do  allow 
human  learning,  so  it  be  sober  and  serious,  in  its  own 
place  and  sphere,  as  well  as  other  human  things  :  But  I 
do  oppose  it  as  it  is  made  another  John  Baptist,  to  pre> 

3R 


498  AN  APOLOGY  TO  THE  READER. 

pare  the  way  of  Christ  into  the  w^ld,  or  to  prepare  the 
world's  way  to  Christ :  And  also,  as  men  make  it  neces- 
sary for  the  true  knowledge  of  scriptures ;  yea,  the  very 
unction  for  the  ministry. 

And  herein,   according  to  the  grace  of  Christ,  I  both 
do  and  will  contend  against  it  for  ever  :    Seeing  human 
learning  mingled   with  divinity,  or  the  gospel  of  Christ 
understood   according  to  Aristotle,   hath   begun,  conti- 
nued  and   perfected  the  mystery  of  iniquity  in  the  out- 
ward  church.     Wherefore  I  do  in  all  boldness  appear 
for  Christ,  the  wisdom  of  God,  against  human  learning, 
the  wisdom  of  the  world  ;  knowing  assuredly,  that  he  is 
as  very  antichrist,   who  opposes   Christ  as  the  wisdom 
of  God,  as  he  that  opposes  him,   as  the  power  and  righ- 
teousness of  God  :  and  men  may  as  well  bring  into  the 
church  of  God  another  righteousness  than  Christ,  and 
another  power  than   Christ,   as   another   wisdom   than 
Christ.     Wherefore,  as  they  who  bring  in  human  righ- 
teousness, that  is,   civil  or  moral  righteousness,  or  any 
works  or  duties  of  men  for  righteousness,  into  the  church 
of  Christ,   they  are  true  antichrists  in  so  doing;  seeing 
herein  they  are  contrary  to,  and  do  oppose  Christ  the 
righteousness  of  God  :    And  as  they  who  bring  in  hu- 
man power,  or  the  secular  arm  into  the  church  of  Christ, 
to  do  or  leave  undone,  to  reward  or  punish,  to  promise  or 
threaten,  to  encourage  or  discourage  by  that,  they  are 
true  antichrists  in  so  doing;  seeing  herein  they  are  con- 
trary to,  and  do  oppose  Christ,  the  power  of  God  :  So 
also,  they  that  bring  in  human  wisdom,   or  the  learning 
and  philosophy  of  men,  into  the  church  of  Christ,  they  al- 
so are  true  antichrists  in  so  doing;  for  herein  they  are  con- 
trary to,  and  do  oppose  Christ,  the  wisdom  of  God ;  for 
Christ  is,  and  is  to  be,  the  only  power,  the  only  wisdom, 
and  the  only  righteousness  in  the  church  of  God;  and  he 
that  brings    in  any  other  power,  wisdom  or  righteous- 
ness, besides  Clu-ist  himself  that  man  is;  in  very  deed. 


AN  APOLOGY  TO  THE  READER.  499 

antichrist.    And  in  this  matter  also,  it  was  necessary  that 
I  should  be  bold  for  Christ  against  antichrist. 

3.  Again,  if  any  shall  be  offended  tiiat  I  speak  thus 
freely  against  the  universities,  which  are  of  such  honour- 
able esteem  every  where  in  the  nation,  especially  witlithc 
ignorant  and  vulgar  people,  and  with  men  of  all  sorts, 
"who  have  not  the  right  knowledge  of  Christ  and  his  gos- 
pel ;  wherein  are  so  contained  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge,  that  no  part  of  this  treasury  is  left  out 
thereof,  to  enrich  heathenish  philosophy  withal,  which, 
by  the  gospel,  is  left  as  a  desolate  thing,  empty  and  des- 
titute of  all  true  wisdom  and  knowledge  :  1  say,  if  any 
think  that  I  have  too  deeply  censured  these  universities ; 
let  them  know,  that  I  have  done,  in  this  matter,  but  as 
TVickliJt\  Hits,  Luther,  and  several  others,  holy  men  of 
God,  and  happy  instruments  in  the  hand  of  Christ,  have 
done  before  me.  As  for  instance  : 

^  Wickliff  terms  the  universities,  castra  Cainiticaf  Cain's 
castles  ;  syna^ogas  Satana^  the  synagogues  of  Satan,  and 
affirms  that  they  were  never  ordained  or  instituted  by 
Christ. 

John  HuSf  or  Otho  Brunfelsius,  if  he  set  out  the  con- 
tents of  the  chapters,  calls  them,  satrapas  anticliristi,  the 
lieutenants  of  antichrist. 

Luther,  in  his  book  Contra  Amhrosium  Vatharinumf 
shewing  out  of  Daniel  the  prophet,  that  antichrist  is  rex 
facierum,  the  king  of  faces,  or  appearances ;  he  aflBrms 
that  the  universities  are  one  of  those  faces  of  antichrist; 
and  that  they  are  very  comely  or  sightly  to  look  on,  and 
yet,  indeed,  are  a  very  chaos,  and  open  gate  of  hell;  and 
that,  in  these,  the  most  choice  youth  of  christian  people 
are  prostituted,  and  are  cast  into  the  open^throat  of  hell : 
and  that,  in  these  Aristotle  is  read,  whereby  the  wits  of 
christian  youth  are  possessed  and  busied  with  human  and 
heathenish  learning;  yea,  are  quite  blinded  and  oppressed 
with  it. 


000  AN  APOLOGY  TO  THE  READER. 

He  saitli  also,  that  the  universities  are  the  woe  that 
the  fifth  angel,  mentioned  in  Rev.  ix.  brought  upon  the 
earth  :  and  that,  whoever  it  was  that  did  first  institute 
and  confirm  universities,  he  was  a  star  fallen  from  heaven 
to  earth  :  to  wit,  from  the  gospel  of  Christ  to  human 
learning. 

And  in  his  exposition  on  Psal.  xxii.  he  calls  the  uni- 
versities the  mothers  of  learned  men,  the  gates  of  hell ; 
and  saith,  they  are  called  sclwke,  that  is,  schools,  Indi^ 
that  is,  plays,  by  a  fatal  name  ;  seeing  they  make  sport 
with  the  scriptures,  and  cast  lots  upon  them,  as  upon  the 
garments  of  Christ,  every  one  dividing  to  himself  a  share 
of  them,  according  to  his  own  human  and  philosophical 
apprehension.  And  he  saith,  that  the  doctors  of  these 
universities  are,  by  the  same  providence,  called  doctores 
scholastici,  that  is,  school  doctors  ;  ludicri^  vel  illusoriiy 
that  is,  trifling,  or  may-game  doctors. 

Again,  he  saith,  those  most  glorious  mothers  of  studiog, 
the  universities,  stink  before  God  with  most  loathsome 
abomination. 

These  universities  are  those  antichristian  soldiers,  who 
put  a  reed  into  Christ's  right  hand  instead  of  a  sceptre  : 
and  this  reed  is  philosophy,  that  vain  deceit,  or,  as  the 
apostle  elsewhere  terms  it,  the  operation  of  error :  hij 
which  philosojjhij,  saith  he,  the  unhappy  jjeople  of  Christ 
hes^an  to  he  governed,  that  is,  to  be  seduced,  and  to  be 
led  away  from  tlie  gospel  of  God.  And  this  vain  reed 
they  put  into  his  right  hand,  by  preferring  learning  be- 
fore godliness  ;  saying,  according  to  their  usual  manner 
of  speaking,  he  is  a  learned,  and  a  godly  man ;  hereby 
making  learning  to  take  place  of  godliness.  And  yet 
this  philosophy,  is  nothing  but  a  weak  reed,  which  coun- 
terfeits a  sceptre,  rather  than  represents  it,  and  so  is 
nothing  but  vain  deceit ;  for  there  is  nothing  propounded 
in  such  doctrine,  but  vanity  and  lying,  though  under  the 
title  of  knowledge  and  religion. 


AN  APOLOGY  TO  THE  READER.  501 

In  a  word,  he  calls  tliem  antichristi  liijpanariay  the 
stews  (if  antichrist. 

Melancthon  also  terms  the  universities,  domos  men- 
dacii,  "  houses  of  lies  ;"  and  saith,  "  It  is  manifest  that 
"  they  are  all  heretical,  by  their  school  divinity ;  which 
"all  the  schools  in  Europe  have  received  from  the  uni- 
" versity  of  Paris,  and  are  thereby  infected  with  heresy;" 
and  he  saith,  "  The  students  in,  the  universities,  are  not 
"  the  people  of  the  gospel,  nor  yet  of  the  law,  but  are  the 
*^  people  of  Aristotle^ s  morals*.*^ 

And  thus  it  is  manifest  that  others  have  spoken  freely 
and  sharply  against  the  universities  before  now.  And 
therefore,  wise  and  godly  christians  will  have  no  just 
cause  to  be  offended  at  me,  who  have  spoken  in  like 
manner,  having  the  same  cause. 

Objection.  Now  if  any  shall  object,  that  they  all  spake 
against  popish  universities,  and  that  our  universities  are 
otherwise  now,  than  they  were  then  ;  and  so,  there  is  not 
the  same  cause  to  speak  against  them  now,  as  there  was 
heretofore. 

To  this  1  answer ;  That  though  the  outward  form  of 
gross  popery  be  taken  away  from  them,  as  also  from  the 
rest  of  the  people  of  this  nation,  God  having  put  it  into 
the  hearts  of  the  civil  power  to  reject  it,  after  the  light  of 
the  gospel  had  begun  to  shine  to  them  ;  yet  are  the  brains, 
heart,  bowels,  bones,  marrow,  sinews  and  blood  of  the 
universities,  the  self-same  now  as  heretofore;  and  though 
the  outside  of  it  hath  passed  under  a  very  little  change, 
yet  the  inner  parts  of  it  remain  as  before,  in  the  full 
strength  of  antichrist's  kingdom,  and  that  without  any 
alteration  at  all.  For  the  self- same  statutes  of  the  uni- 
versities and  colleges  still  remain  with  them  in  force, 
which  were  at  first  given  to  them  by  their  popish  foun- 
ders, through  the  help  of  antichrist :  and  these  statutes 

•  Omnes  scholas  esse  hereticas,  vel  Uieologia  scholastica  arguit,  Melanct.  in 
Jfol.pro  Mart.  Luther. 


502  AN  APOLOGY  TO  THE  READER. 

are  of  saeh  authority  with  them,  that  they  depart  from 
the  rule  of  Christ's  gospel,  to  walk,  by  the  rules  of  sin- 
ful men,  for  worldly  stipends  and  rewards  sake.  Farther, 
the  same  philosophy  or  heathenism,  and  the  same  school 
divinity  or  antichristianism,  are  yet  instilled  into  the 
youth  and  students,  as  were  many  hundred  years  ago, 
in  the  darkest  times  of  popery :  and  these  things  are  all  in 
all  in  the  university  learning  and  education  ;  insomuch, 
that  no  man  is  of  any  esteem  and  reckoning  with  them, 
let  him  know  the  gospel  of  Christ  ever  so  soundly  and 
truly,  if  he  be  not,  as  they  speak,  a  good  philosopher, 
and  school  divine.  So  that  the  university,  for  its  inside, 
is  the  self-same  now,  as  it  was  in  IVirJihJf,  Hus,  or 
Luther's  time,  being  informed  and  possessed  with  the 
same  heathenish  and  antichristian  doctrine  now  as  then : 
yea,  many  of  the  self-same  outward  and  antichristian 
forms  and  follies  still  remain  with  them,  more  tiian  with 
any  other  people  in- the  nation;  even  to  their  hoods,  caps, 
scarlet  robes,  doctoral  ring,  kiss,  gloves,  their  doctoral 
dinner  and  music  :  neitiier  could  they  ever  yet,  to  this 
day  find  in  their  hearts  to  lay  aside  their  very  prsevarica- 
tor,  which  is  some  notable  varlet,  picked  out  of  the 
university,  and  brought  forth  in  the  presence  of  all  the 
heads,  students,  scholars,  and  all  the  great  resort  of 
ministers  and  people,  at  their  public  commencement,  to 
make  shipwreck  of  faith  and  a  good  conscience  before 
them  all ;  and  in  open  defiance  of  the  gospel,  which  stands 
in  faith  and  love,  to  abuse,  and  deride,  and  jeer,  and 
reproach  all  sorts  of  persons,  of  all  ages,  sexes,  profes- 
sions, and  this  presently  after  their  divinity  acts ;  which 
is  a  wickedness,  the  very  heathen  would  be  ashamed  of; 
and  which  plainly  declare  what  kind  of  divinity  is  taught 
and  learned  in  the  university,  which  can  endure,  allow, 
countenance,  and  be  merry  at  that,  which  so  highly  con- 
tradicts God's  word,  and  grieves  his  holy  Spirit :  yet, 
because  it  makes  thcai  merry  after  a  full  dinner,  and 


AN  APOLOGY  TO  THE  READER.  503 

puts  more  joy  into  tlieir  hearts  than  the  holy  scriptures, 
they  could  hitherto  dispense  witii  it  to  tliis  day. 

And  so,  however  religion,  for  the  outward  form,  hath 
been  much  reformed  in  these  nations;  yet  the  univer- 
sities, as  the  strongest  holds  which  antichrist  hath  had 
amongst  us,  have  still  remained  much  the  same,  not  only 
as  to  the  inward  substance  of  all  things,  to  wit,  their 
statutes,  philosophy,  and  divinity,  but  also  in  a  great 
measure  to  their  outward  forms,  as  they  were  in  their 
first  antichristian  institution. 

Wherefore  it  was  necessary  also,  that  I  should  be 
plain  and  free  for  Christ's  sake,  and  his  church's,  against 
these,  as  Luther  calls  them,  stews  of  antichrist,  and  dens 
of  thieves  ;  who  have  been,  and  still  are,  the  constant  and 
fruitful  seed  of  antichrist's  kingdom  in  the  world,  out  of 
w^hich  it  might  suddenly,  on  all  occasions,  and  opportuni- 
ties, grow^  up  afresh,  how  greatly  soever  it  had  been  be- 
fore wasted  and  destroyed  among  the  people,  by  the 
clear  word  of  God,  and  his  mighty  providences  and 
works  accompanying  it. 

Now  as  it  was  necessary  this  work  should  be  done, 
so,  through  the  grace  of  Christ,  was  I  made  willing  to 
do  it,  seeing  nobody  else  more  lit  and  able  did  appear. 
And  well  knowing,  that  he  that  provokes  the  universi- 
ties and  clergy  against  him,  provokes  ••  principalities 
and  powers,  and  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  w  orld"" 
against  him  ;  as  is  evident  in  the  example  of  Wickliff, 
Hiis,  Luther,  Tindal,  and  others  :  I  have  therefore,  ac- 
cording to  Christ's  counsel,  sat  down  and  counted  the 
cost  of  this  undertaking,  and  after  all,  do  say,  the  Lord  is 
on  my  side,  I  will  not  f^ar  what  man  can  do  unto  me. 
And  so  I  commit  thee,  Christian  Reader,  to  that  grace 
Avhich  is  from  God,  to  keep  thee  intliis  new  hour  of  temp- 
tation, if  the  Lord  suffer  it  to  come  forth  upon  the  earth. 

•i.  Again,  if  any  shall  object,  in  reading  tliis  reply, 
that  I  myself  make  use  of  human  learning,  whilst  I  speak 
against  it. 


504  AN  APOLOGY  TO  THE  READER. 

I  ansivev  ;  What  part  of  philosophy  is  here  made  use 
of?  or  who  of  the  heathens  are  here  quoted?  I  have 
chiefly  made  use  of  the  testimony  of  some  faithful  chris- 
tians,  who  have  lived  in  several  ages,  and  yet  have  all 
witnessed^  by  the  same  Spirit,  the  same  truth.  And  it 
is  no  more  human  learning  to  quote  believers  in  tlie 
church  since  Christ,  than  to  quote  the  patriarchs  and 
prophets  before  Christ,  or  the  apostles  and  evangelists;, 
which  immediately  followed  him. 

5.  And  last  of  all.  If  any  say,  I  myself  relate  to  the 
university,  why  then  do  I  speak  against  it  thus  ? 

I  answer  ;  That  I  neither  do,  nor  will  relate  to  the 
university,  as  it  is  polluted  with  any  of  the  abominations 
herein  mentioned  :  But  as,  by  the  providence  of  God 
alone,  I  have  been  brought  to  that  relation  in  which  1 
now  stand,  and  continue  in  it,  against  the  wills  and  work- 
ings of  many ;  so,  through  his  good  pleasure,  I  will  re- 
main, till  he  shall  otherwise  dispose  of  me ;  and  during 
niy  sojourning  with  them,  I  will  not  fail  to  testify  against 
their  evil,  and  to  endeavour  to  win  all  those,  whom  God 
shall  persuade  to  receive  his  truth,  from  heathenism  to 
the  gospel,  and  from  antichrist  to  Christ. 

Wherefore,  let  none  be  offended  that  1  am  made  wil- 
ling to  hazard  and  part  with  my  worldly  accommodations 
for  Christ's  name  sake  ;  but  let  them  rather  praise  the 
grace  of  God,  which  hath  enabled  me  to  witness  a  good 
confession,  whatever  worldly  disadvantage  1  might  run 
into  thereby.  Wherefore,  welcome  the  righteousness, 
power,  Avisdom,  truth,  word,  and  whole  kingdom  of 
Christ,  though  they  swallow  up  all  my  earthly  accommo- 
dations ;  For  such  fear  and  love  of  his  name,  hath  the 
Lord  graciously  put  into  my  heart,  that  1  would  not  wil- 
lingly conceal  any  thing  of  his  most  precious  truth,  either 
to  gain  or  to  preserve  to  myself  the  whole  world.  And 
so,  righteous  Father,  not  my  will  be  done,  nor  theirs,  but 
iky  icill  he  done,  in  earthy  as  it  is  in  heaven » 


THE 

CONFUTATION 

OP 

MR  SYDRACH  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS. 

ISAIAH  Ixii.  1. 

For  Stones  sake  I  will  not  hold  my  peace,  and  for  Jeru- 
salem's sake  1  will  not  rest,  until  the  righteousness 
thereof  go  forth  as  brightness,  and  the  salvation  thereof 
as  a  lamp  that  burns, 

MASTER  Sydrach  Simpson,  at  the  commencement, 
•Anno.  1653,  preaching  to  the  University  Congregation 
in  Cambridge,  and  to  many  others,  especially  ministers 
there  gathered  together  at  that  time,  from  several  parts 
of  the  nation,  among  other  things,  he  let  fall  in  that  dis- 
course of  his,  these  gross  and  autichristian  errors. 
The  rehearsal  of  the  errors. 

1.  "  He  brought  in  that  scripture,  2  Kings  \'i.  1,S, 
which  was  his  text :  the  words  whereof  are  these.  And 
the  sons  of  the  prophets  said  unto  Elisha,  Behold  now  the 
place  where  we  dwell  with  thee,  is  too  strait  for  us ;  let 
us  go,  we  pray  thee,  unto  Jordan,  and  take  thence  every 
man  a  beam,  and  let  us  make  us  a  place  where  we  may 
dwell :  and  he  ansivered.  Go  ye.  This  scripture  he  used 
to  prove  the  lawfulness  and  religiousness  of  the  present 
universities,  and  the  usefulness  and  necessity  of  human 
learning  to  the  church  and  ministry  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. And  what  the  scripture  speaks  of  those  schools, 
he  brought  to  countenance,  encourage  and  justify  these  : 
adding,  tliat  if  it  were  objected,  that  that  was  the  Old 
Testament :  he  did  answer,  that  the   Old  and  New  were 

3  S 


506  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

not  distinct  Testaments,  but  administrations  :  thereby 
holding  forth,  that  tlie  universities  now,  are  answerable 
to  the  schools  of  the  prophets  that  were  then  :  and  that 
the  universities  are  as  agreeable  to  the  New  Testament, 
as  the  schools  of  the  prophets  to  the  old. 

2.  That  tliey  who  have  endeavoured  to  pull  down 
schools,  have  always  been  men  who  were  found  enemies 
to  religion.  So  Julian  the  apostate  shut  up  the  doors  of 
the  schools,  because  he  would  have  all  religion  go 
down. 

3.  That  the  knowledgeof  heavenly  things  cannot  come 
to  us  but  by  things  on  earth,  and  that  all  divinity  is  swad- 
led  in  human  learning. 

4.  That  Paul  was  brought  up  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel ; 
and  that  Grod  took  him  so  fitted,  and  made  him  an  able 
minister  of  his  church. 

5.  That  men's  hatred  to  God,  doth  as  well  appear  in 
their  hatred  to  human  learning,  as  if  they  hated  the  scrip- 
tures. 

6.  That  if  the  Spirit  teach  without  means,  men  may 
as  well  be  without  the  ordinances,  as  without  the  univer- 
sities and  human  learning. 

7-  That  men  now  are  not  to  receive  the  Spirit,  in  that 
immediate  way  to  understand  the  scriptures,  in  which  it 
was  given  to  them  who  wrote  the  scriptures. 

8.  That  men  now  are  to  get  knowledge  by  studies  and 
human  learning,  and  not  by  inspiration. 

9.  That  human  learning  is  as  the  out-works  to  the 
fort  of  the  gospel,  and  as  the  outer  court  to  the  temple  of 
the  gospel :  and  so,  if  you  will  keep  the  fort  Avell,  you 
must  keep  the  out-works  strong ;  and  if  you  will  preserve 
the  inward,  you  must  look  to  the  outward  court. 

10.  But  what  is  the  bottom  of  all  this,  saith  he,  to  wit, 
of  some  men's  appearing  against  human  learning,  as  the 
unction  of  the  ministry,  and  against  the  universities,  as  the 
fountain  of  the  ministry,  but  this  ?  that  some  say,  they 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  507 

are  one  with  Christ ;  and  as  Christ  hath  the  divine  na- 
ture in  hiin,  so  every  believer  hath ;  and  he  that  hath  God 
in  him,  need  not  go  to  any  man  to  learn ;  whereas  in 
John,  xvi.  Christ  speaketh  of  believers,  as  at  an  infinite 
distance  from  him  :  And  if  believers  be  so  united  to  Christ 
as  they  say,  then  will  follow,  that  Christ  should  not  be 
the  only  begotten  of  God  ;  and  that  Christ  and  we  should 
be  equal,  and  he  not  our  Lord,  &c. 

11.  Arts  and  tongues  are  the  cups  in  which  God 
drinks  to  us. 

13.  We  shall  never  keep  up  religion,  if  we  keep  not 
up  learning  :  but  when  learning  goes  down,  religion  goes 
down  too. 

13.  Seeing  religious  foundations  are  so  ancient,  then 
keep  them  up  :  your  destruction  will  never  be  but  from 
yourselves." 

These  notes  were  taken  from  Mr.  Simpson^s  mouth, 
and  delivered  to  me  by  an  honest  hand,  and  aflSrmed  to 
be  true  for  the  substance  of  them  ;  and  I  also  heard  seve- 
ral others,  who  were  hearers  of  that  sermon,  relating  the 
same  things. 

Now,  because  I  find  that  this  doctrine  hath  not  only 
grieved  the  hearts  of  the  faithful,  but  also  strengthened 
the  hands  of  the  carnal  and  evil  people :  The  things 
which  he  then  delivered,  being  usually  the  thoughts  of 
their  hearts,  and  words  of  their  mouths  ;  I  thought  it  my 
duty,  being  set  in  my  place  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel, 
to  give  a  public  reply  to  such  gross  errors,  so  publickly 
delivered,  to  the  danger  of  so  many ;  and  which,  one 
would  never  have  thought  should  have  proceeded  from 
such  a  man ;  especially  after  tlie  day  of  the  gospel  hath 
so  far  dawned,  and  the  antichristian  .f^hadows  are  so  far 
retreated,  and  flown  away. 

And  so  I  shall  begin  with  the  first  of  these  errors,  and 
proceed  in  the  order  in  whifh  they  are  set  down. 


908  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

1.  ERROR. 

He  brought  that  scripture,  2  Kins^s  vi.  1,  2.  touching 
the  sons  of  the  prophets,  asking  leave  of  Elisha  to  go 
and  build  at  Jordan,  to  prove  the  lavs^fulness  and  re- 
ligiousness of  the  universities,  in  their  present  use  and 
customs,  &c. 

Ansiver.  To  this  I  reply,  that  there  is  a  vast  difference 
between  those  schools,  and  these  universities ;  as  in  many 
Other  things,  so  chiefly  in  this  ;  that  in  those  schools  of 
the  prophets,  named  by  him,  the  holy  men  of  God  freely 
taught  the  youth,  who  came  willingly  to  them  to  learn, 
especially  in  the  corrupt  times  of  Israel  and  Jiidah  ;  I 
say,  they  taught  them  only  the  knowledge  of  the  books 
of  Moses^  and  of  the  other  prophets  then  extant,  and  no 
heathenish  knowledge,  or  disciplines  of  the  Gentiles  at 
all.  And  these  kind  of  schools  began  early  in  the 
church :  For  the  fathers  before  the  flood,  and  the  pa- 
triarchs after,  all  taught  their  children  and  families  the 
word  of  God  ;  and  so  each  of  their  families  was  such  a 
school.  And  that  we  may  not  be  at  uncertainties  in  this 
matter,  it  is  manifest  what  doctrine  they  taught,  by  that 
which  God  himself  saith  of  Abraham,  Gen.  xviii.  19.  X 
"know  Mraliam,  saith  God,  that  he  will  command  his  chil- 
dren and  houshold  after  him,  that  they  keep  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  and  to  do  justice  and  judgment :  This  was  the 
sum  of  Abraham^s  doctrine  to  his  family.  And  this  is 
farther  confirmed  by  that  of  Asaph,  Psalm  Ixxviii.  2, — 4?. 
Where  he  saith,  I  ivill  ofen  my  mouth  in  a  parable  ;  I 
will  utter  dark  sayings  of  old,  which  we  have  heard  and 
known,  and  our  fathers  have  told  us :  We  will  not  hide 
them  from  their  children,  shewing  to  the  generation  to 
come,  the  praises  pf  the  Lord,  and  his  strength,  and  the 
wonderful  works  that  he  hath  done :  Where  we  plainly 
see  what  doctrine  the  children  received  from  their  pa- 
rents, and  the  parents  taught  their  children  from  one 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  509 

generation  to  another ;  to  wit,  not  vain  philosophy,  and 
the  disciplines  of  the  heathens,  but  the  j^raises  of  the 
Lord,  and  his  strength,  and  wonderful  works.  This 
also  is  manifest  by  the  practice  of  Jehosaphat  king  of 
Judahf  who  sent  his  princes  with  the  Levites,  up  and 
down  throughout  Judah,  and  they  only  took  the  book 
of  the  law  of  the  Lord  with  them,  and  no  heathenish 
authors,  aiid  taught  the  peojile,  S  Chron.  xvii. 

And  Ezra,  after  the  peoples  return  from  Babylon,  took 
only  the  book  of  the  law  of  Moses,  and  read  it  to  them; 
and  the  Levites  also,  read  in  the  hook  of  the  law  of  God 
distinctly  to  the  people,  and  gave  them  the  sense,  and 
caused  them  to  understand  it,  Nehem.  viii. 

And  this  also,  James  the  apostle  witnesseth.  Acts  xv. 
21.  saying,  Moses  of  old  time,  hath  in  every  city,  them 
that  preach  him,  being  read  in  the  synagogues  every  sab- 
bath-day. 

So  that  the  faithful  prophets  of  the  Lord,  during  all 
the  Old  Testament,  had  the  chief  care  in  their  schools, 
to  keep  the  word  of  the  Lord  among  them  in  a  right 
sense,  according  to  the  mind  of  the  Spirit.  For  seeing 
the  Lord's  people  are  his  portion,  they  knew  they  were 
to  be  carefully  educated  and  instructed  in  the  right  know- 
ledge of  the  scriptures,  to  prepare  them  for  the  Lord,  and 
to  make  them  meet  for  his  kingdom.  And  the  keeping 
of  the  word  and  doctrine  of  God  pure,  is  one  of  the 
greatest  matters  of  all  in  the  church  of  God  :  For  as  the 
word  is,  such  is  the  worship,  such  is  the  faith,  such  is 
the  conscience,  such  is  all.  Wherefore,  the  holy  men  of 
God,  would  by  no  means  bring  in  the  philosophy  or  doc- 
trine of  the  heathens  into  their  schools,  to  teach  that  to 
their  sons,  or  scholars  ;  but  only  the  true,  faithful,  and 
unmixed  word  of  God. 

Objection.  And  if  against  this  it  be  objected,  that 
Moses  was  learned  in  all  the  learning  of  the  Egyptians. 

Answer.  To  this  1  reply  :  But  did  Moses  ever  teach 


510  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

any  of  that  learning  in  the  church,  or  publish  any  of  the 
doctrines  of  it?  Or  did  he  command,  or  encourage  any 
of  the  people  of  God  to  learn  it  ?  Or  did  any  other  of 
the  prophets  of  the  Lord,  in  any  age,  teach  their  sons  or 
scholars  any  of  the  Egi/ptian  philosophy,  which  was  the 
most  ancient,  or  the  Smaragdine  table  of  Hermes  Tnsme- 
gistiiSf  the  pretended  scholar  of  Moses,  so  much  boasted 
of,  or  any  other  heathenish  author  whatsoever,  of  which 
there  were  many  then  extant?  I  say,  let  them  prove,  that 
one  heathenish  author  was  read  by  any  of  the  prophets  to 
their  scholars,  and  then  they  will  have  some  colour  for 
the  present  universities,  and  their  practice:  But  this  they 
can  never  do,  during  all  the  Old  Testament. 

And  now,  for  the  New  Testament,  it  is  well  known, 
that  Christ  himself,  who  was  the  Son  of  God,  made  of  a 
woman,  was  the  first  and  chief  teacher  of  this  doctrine  : 
Even  the  Son,  out  of  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  full  of 
grace  and  truth  :  and  he  set  up  the  first  christian  school, 
and  taught  his  twelve  apostles,  whom,  at  his  own  plea- 
sure, he  chose  to  himself. 

And  what  the  doctrine  was  which  he  taueht  them,  ih 
manifest  in  the  gospel ;  in  all  which,  there  is  not  one 
word  of  heathenish  philosophy,  or  of  the  doctrines  and 
traditions  of  men ;  but  he  only  taught  them  the  w^ords  of 
eternal  life  ;  which  no  man,  nor  angel,  could  teach  :  He 
teaches  that  word  which  is  the  power,  wisdom,  and 
righteousness  of  God  ;  through  which  sin  is  forgiven,  and 
righteousness  is  given  ;  death  is  destroyed,  and  life  is 
brought  in ;  hell  is  put  out,  and  heaven  is  planted,  in  all 
them  that  do  believe:  He  teaches  a  vyord,  through  which 
the  world  is  renewed,  and  men  are  made  like  angels,  and 
are  made  meet  to  partake  of  the  inheritance  of  saints : 
He  teaches  a  word,  wherein  is  contained  all  the  trea- 
sures of  w  isdom  and  knowledge  that  are  in  God  himself. 

And  so  Christ  taught  in  his  school  no  vain  philosophy, 
or  heathenish  doctrine  ;  and  yet  he  came  from  God,  and 
wxnt  to  God,  and  is  a  pattern  for  doctrine  to  all  true 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  511 

Christians  that  are  his  disciples  indeed  :  To  whom  he 
commanded,  when  he  left  the  world,  and  went  to  his  Fa- 
ther, that  they  should  teach  all  nations,  and  gather  one 
christian  school  oat  of  them  all,  by  teaciiing  them  to  ob- 
serve and  do  whatsoever  he  had  commanded  them,  to  wit, 
in  the  gospel ;  and  nothing  else,  or  more  :  He  command- 
ed them  to  teach  all  that,  and  only  that :  and  promised 
himself  to  be  with  them  to  the  end  of  the  world,  in  all 
such  doc^ine. 

And  the  apostles  accordingly,  not  by  any  help  of  hu- 
man learning,  but  when  they  had  received  the  Spirit, 
went  forth  to  teach  the  nations,  and  to  set  up  christian 
schools  every  where  by  their  doctrine ;  and  they  all  only 
taught  Jesus,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

Thus  Peter  first  taught  the  men  of  Judea,  and  inhabi-^ 
tants  oi  Jerusalem,  That  God  had  made  Jesus,  whom  they 
had  crucified,  both  Lord  and  Christ;  having  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  because  it  was  not  possible  for  him  to  be 
holden  of  death,  who  was  the  J^ord  and  author  of  life. 

And  Stephen,  disputing  with  the  Libertines,  Cirenians, 
and  Alexandrians,  and  divers  philosophers  of  Cilicia  and 
Asia,  did  hold  forth  to  them  nothing  but  Christ ;  and  that 
He  should  put  an  end  to  the  temple  and  law,  and  should 
change  all  the  customs  of  Moses.  And,  They  were  not  able 
to  resist  the  icisdom  and  Spirit  by  which  he  spake,  Acts  vi. 

And  Paul,  at  the  university  of  Athens,  reproved  their 
heathenism,  and  taught  nothing  among  the  Epicureans 
and  Stoicks,  and  other  sects  of  philosophers,  but  the  re- 
surrection of  Christ,  and  his  kingdom  and  judgment, 
Acts  xvii. 

He  also  disputed  daily  in  the  school  of  one  Tyrannus, 
and  that  for  two  years  together,  and  persuaded  only  the 
things  touching  the  kingdom  of  God,  brought  into  the 
world  by  Jesus  Christ,  Acts  xix.  And  he  so  prevailed 
with  his  doctrine,  that  many  which  used  curious  arts, 
brought  their  books  together,  and  burnt  them  before  all 


513  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

men;  and  the  price  of  them  was  counted  at  fifty  thousand 
pieces  of  silver*:  So  that,  as  the  gospel  prevailed,  and 
the  name  of  Christ  was  magnified,  so  did  people  renounce 
philosophy,  and  burn  their  books  of  curious  arts  :  To 
recover  which  books  again  out  of  their  ashes,  if  it  might 
be,  our  university  would  give  as  much  money,  if  they 
could  procure  it  from  good  benefactors,  as  they  were  then 
valued  at  by  the  heathen.  So  that  as  they,  through  the 
cflRcacy  of  the  gospel,  of  heathens  became  cjiristians, 
and  threw  away  all  other  learning,  and  burnt  their 
books  of  great  value,  lest  they  should  infect  others  :  So 
on  the  contrary,  in  our  universities  of  pretended  chris- 
tians, men  usually  become  true  heathens ;  never  valuing 
the  precious  gospel  of  God  our  Saviour,  as  they  do  other 
heathenish  and  philosophical  books. 

Farther,  the  same  Paul  dwelt  afterwards  at  Rome, 
two  whole  years,  in  his  own  hired  house,  and  during 
all  that  time,  Preached  oniij  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
taught  those  things  which  concern  the  Lord  Jesus  Christy 
with  all  holdness :  But  taught  not  one  word  of  philoso- 
phy. 

He  also  at  Corinth,  a  great  and  famous  city  of  Greece, 
full  of  philosophers  and  orators,  taught  nothing  among 
them,  hut  Christ  crucified,  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling  block, 
and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness;  but  to  them  that  believe, 
both  of  Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the  power  of  God,  and 
the  ivisdom  of  God,  1  Cor.  i. 

And  as  he  made  no  use  of  human  learning  all  this 
while,  so  in  1  Cor.  ii,  he  plainly  renounces  it,  and  rejects 
it;  saying, 

Ver.  1.  *,ind  I,  brethren,  when  I  came  to  you,  came 
not  ivith  excellency  of  speech  or  wisdom,  declaring  unto 
you  the  testimony  of  God. 

Ver.  2.  For  I  determined  not  to  knoic  any  thing  among 
you,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified. 

•  About  1250/. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  513 

Ver.  3.  ^Ind  1  icas  tcith  you  in  weakness^  and  fear^ 
and  much  trembling. 

Ver.  1.  And  my  speech  and  -preaching  was  not  with 
enticing  words  of  man^s  ivisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of 
the  Spirit  and  power. 

Ver.  o.  Thiit  your  faith  should  not  stand  in  the  wis- 
dom, of  man,  but  in  the  poicer  of  Tilod. 

Ver.  6.  Hotvbeit,  we  speak  wisdom  among  them  that 
ar^  perfect ;  yet  not  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  nor  of  the 
princes  of  this  world,  ivhich  come  to  nought. 

Ver.  7-  But  we  speak  the  wisdom  of  God,  in  a  mys- 
tery, even  the  hidden  wisdom,  which  God  ordained  be- 
fore the  icorld,  unto  our  glory,  &c. 

Ver.  13.  Which  things  also  ice  speak,  not  in  the  icords 
which  man^s  tcisdom  teacheth,  but  which  the  holy  Spirit 
teacheth  ;  comparing  spiritual  things  with  spiritual. 

In  a  word,  this  whole  chapter  tends  to  tlie  utter  rejec- 
tion of  philosophy,  which  is  the  wisdom  of  the  world,  in 
the  kingdom  of  Christ,  which  is  the  kingdom  of  God. 

He  also,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Colossians,  chap.  ii. 
gives  forth  another  plain  testimony  against  philosophy, 
desiring,  ver.  2.  That  the  hearts  of  the  believers  might 
be  comforted,  and  that  they  might  be  knit  together  in  love, 
and  unto  all  riches  of  the  full  assurance  of  understand- 
ing, to  the  acknoivledgment  of  the  mystery  of  God,  and 
of  the  Father,  and  of  Christ,  in  whom  are  hid  all  the 
treasures  of  wisdom  and  knoivledge  ;  And  this,  saith  he, 
/  say,  lest  any  man  should  beguile  you  with  enticing 
words  :  Wherefore,  ver.  8.  saith  he,  Beware  lest  any  man 
spoil  you  through  philosophy,  and  vain  deceit,  after  the 
tradition  of  men,  after  the  rudiments  or  elements  of  the 
world,  and  not  after  Christ;  for  in  him  dicells  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Godhead  bodily  ;  and  ye  are  complete  in  him, 
who  is  the  head  of  all  principality  and  poicer.  Here 
is  a  sufficient  caution  against  philosophy,  for  the  true 
church  for  ever.     For  what  need  we,  if  we  are  true 

3T 


514  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

christians!,  fo  turn  aside  for  wisdom  and  knowledge, 
and  learning,  and  curious  arts,  to  the  heathen,  see- 
ing God  hath  given  Christ  to  us,  in  whom  is  treasured^ 
up  all  the  heights^  and  depths,  and  lengths,  and  breadths 
of  wisdom  and  knowledge,  whereby  the  ichole  icorld  was 
made,  and  every  creature  formed  and  fashioned  ;  and  in 
which  it  hath  its  being,  subsistence,  and  operation  P  Yea, 
in  ihis  Christ  dwells  all  the  fulness  of  the  infinite  and 
eternal  God,  and  he  is  the  head  of  all  principality  and 
power,  in  earth  and  heaven  ;  and  there  is  in  him  alone, 
infinitely  enough  to  make  us  wise  and  learned  for  ever ; 
without  calling  in  the  help  and  contributions  of  the  vain 
philosophers,  and  their  foolish  wisdom.  It  is  enough 
for  clu'istian  schools,  to  be  taught  to  know  Christ,  by  the 
ministration  of  the  Spirit ;  and  all  other  learning  that  is 
out  of  Christ,  though  it  seem  to  be  never  so  high  and 
deep,  all  faithful  christians  are  to  reject  it,  as  mere 
sophistry  and  deceit. 

And  thus  you  see  that  the  apostles,  as  well  as  Christ, 
taught  their  scholars  and  disciples  only  the  gospel,  and 
spake  not  one  word  for  philosophy,  but  directly  against  it. 
And  the  following  fathers,  and  next  teachers  of  the 
christian  church  after  the  apostles,  they  also  obeyed  the 
command  of  Christ,  and  followed  the  example  of  the 
apostles  in  this  matter.  For  the  bishops  and  presbyters, 
that  is,  the  overseers  and  elders,  had  tender  regard  to 
the  children  of  christians,  and  did  teach  them,  as  well 
as  the  people,  the  pure  doctrine  of  the  gospel :  they  held 
forth  to  them  Christ  crucified,  and  did  exhort  them  to 
faith,  new  obedience,  the  confession  of  Christ,  and  pa- 
tient suffering ;  and  did  not  at  all  intermingle  philosophy 
with  their  divinity,  but  always  rejected  and  condemned 
it,  all  along  tlie  first  and  purest  times  of  the  christian 
church :  till  the  mystery  of  iniquity  began  to  arise,  and 
did  cunningly  insinuate  itself  into  the  church,  by  the 
means  of  human  learning. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  51j 

And  here  it  will  not  be  amiss  to  relate  what  Justin 
Martyr  saith  of  himself,  as  to  this  matter;  who  was.  be- 
fore his  conversion  to  the  christian  faith,  a  great  philoso- 
pher: and  lived  about  150  years  after  Christ's  nativity: 
He,  in  his  dialogue  with  Tryjjho,  relates,  '^  How  first  he 
joined  himself  to  that  sect  of  philosophers  called  the 
Stoicks,  and  after  to  the  peripateticks,  after  to  the  Py- 
thagorean sect,  and  after  to  the  Platonists ;  but  had  no 
satisfaction  in  his  mind  by  all  this  knowledge :  But  at 
last,  beholding  the  torments  and  suiferings  of  chris- 
tians, and  seeing  them  bear  them  with  such  comfort  and 
constancy,  he  did  thereby  conceive  that  it  was  impossi- 
ble for  that  kind  of  people  to  be  subject  to  any  vice,  or 
carnality  ;  which  vices  of  their  own  nature,  are  not  able 
to  sustian  any  sharp  adversity,  much  less  the  bitterness 
of  death.  And  hereupon  he  began  to  love  and  search 
after  the  christian  religion  :  and  being  afflicted  in  mind, 
he  did  withdraw  himself  into  a  solitary  place,  where 
there  met  him  an  old  ancient  father,  of  comely  visage,  and 
gentle  behaviour,  who  began  to  reason  with  him,  and  to 
tell  him  that  there  was  no  knowledge  of  truth  among  the 
plilosophers,  who  neither  knew  God,  nor  were  aided  by 
his  holy  Spirit :  And  did  farther  reason  with  him  of  the 
immortality  of  the  soul,  of  the  reward  of  the  godly,  and 
punishment  of  the  wicked,  ^hen  Justin,  being  satisfied 
with  his  reasons,  yielded  to  him,  and  demanded  of  him, 
how  he  might  attain  to  that  true  knowledge  of  God,  where- 
of he  had  spoken  ?  Who  counselled  him  to  read  the 
scriptures,  adjoining  therewith,  prayer,  &c. 

^nd  as  this  Justin  left  all  other  learning,  and  betook 
himself  only  to  the  scriptures  ;  so  in  the  understanding  of 
the  scriptures,  he  rejected  all  his  philosophy,  and  philo- 
sophical apprehensions  ;  saying,  that  '•  the  interpreta- 
"  tion  of  the  scripture  is  to  be  accommodated  to  the  will 
"  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Spirit,  and  not  to  human  reason- 


516  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

iugs*.'^  Aud  that  he  might  be  sure  and  safe  in  all  things, 
lie  had  constant  resource  to  the  scriptures,  thus  under- 
stood. So  that  Justin  Martyr^  being  effectually  convert- 
ed, wholly  left  his  philosophy,  and  betook  himself  to  the 
scriptures,  and  taught  them  to  the  church,  as  he  had  been 
taught  them  of  God,  by  his  Spirit. 

Constantine  the  Emperorf,  though  he  were  the  first 
that  brought  in  the  mystery  of  iniquity  into  the  christian 
church,  !)y  mingling  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  states  and 
laws  together,  there  being  in  his  time,  a  great  increase 
of  christians,  through  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  and  a 
great  confluence  of  them  to  his  Imperial  city,  for  the 
word's  sake,  he  w  rote  to  Eiisebius,  Bishop  of  .iVicojwerftrt, 
in  a  special  letter,  "  Wherein  he  desired  him,  with  all 
^^  diligence  and  speed,  to  procure  iifty  volumes  of  the 
^^  scriptures,  to  be  written  in  parchment,  well  and  legi- 
*^  bly,  and  in  such  a  bigness  or  volume  as  might  be  car- 
^^  ried  with  the  greatest  ease ;  for  the  further  teaching 
^^  and  instructing  of  those  that  came  to  attain  the  know- 
^^  ledge  of  the  christian  religion:"  Judging  it  most  meet, 
that  christian  people  should  be  instructed  in  the  doe- 
trine  of  Christ  only,  and  not  in  heathenish  philosophy. 

And  though  afterwards,  when  the  suffering  times  of  the 
church  began  to  be  over,  christians  became  more  cainal 
and  secure,  and  that  in  the  very  days  of  Constantine,  and 
so  began  to  decline  the  word  of  faith,  and  to  seek  after 
philosophy;  yet  had  God,  in  alj  the  ages  of  his  church, 
some  of  his  servants,  who  did  reject  it,  and  did  cleave  only 
to  the  word  :  among  which,  I  shall  only  for  the  present, 
produce  the  testimonies  of  Berno,  who  lived  above  six 
hundred  years  ago,  and  Zuinglius  of  latter  times. 

Jbernoj  who  lived  about  the  year  1008,  and  was  a  man 
furnished  with  all  sorts  of  learning,  saith,  "  That  he  had, 

*  Noll  ad  humanas  rationes,  sed  ad  voluntatem  doctrinse  Spiritus,  interpretatio 
est  accommodanda.     Justin,  in  Exposit.  Jidei. 

■\  Euseb.  lib.  4.  de  vita  ConsUntin . 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  517 

**  for  many  years,  rejected  as  dung,  the  figments  of  the 
"  poets,  and  the  histories  of  the  heathens,  and  the  study 
"  of  secular  letters,  and  had  converted  the  whole  inten- 
"  tion  of  his  mind  to  the  word  of  God,  and  the  divine 
<•  things  contained  therein*;"  And  accordingly,  he  taught 
no  other  doctrine  to  any. 

Hiddricus  Ziiinglius  also,  Pastor  of  Zurich  in  Hel- 
vetia, a  man  who  had  been  educated  in  all  kind  of  learn- 
ing, and  was  after,  through  faith  and  the  teaching  of  God, 
an  eminent  instrument  in  his  church,  he  saith  thus  of  him- 
self; **  When  saith  he,  I  being  yet  a  youth,  was  ex- 
"  ercised  in  all  sorts  of  learning,  I  can  truly  say,  that  I 
"did  not  profit  less  than  the  rest  of  my  equals:  But 
'^  when,  about  seven  years  ago,  I  betook  myself  to  the 
••study  of  the  holy  scriptures,  then  the  things  that  I  had 
"before  sucked  in,  or  learned  from  philosophers  and 
"  divines,  did  procure  me  so  much  trouble,  tjjat  being 
^"  then  moved  by  the  authority  of  the  scriptures,  I  judged 
'•  that  all  those  things  were  to  be  cast  away,  and  counted 
^'  as  dung,  and  that  the  true  mind  of  God,  was  only  to 
'•  be  received  from  his  pure  and  simple  vvord.  And  fiiere- 
^^  fore  I  began  humbly  to  intreat  the  Lord  that  he  would 
*•  vouchsafe  me  his  own  light:  By  which  means  it  shortly 
^*  came  to  pass,  that  the  reading  of  the  holy  scriptures 
^^  did  much  delight  and  please  me  ;  and  they  being  na- 
"kedlyand  alone  propounded,  did  flow  unto  me  with 
"  more  ease,  than  if  I  had  read  them  divided  and  dis- 
"'  tracted  with  variety  of  comments ||.''  And  as  he  reject- 
ed philosophy  wholly,  and  entertained  the  word,  so  did 


•  Serno  Augiensis  abbas.  Se  multis  jam  annis  poetarum  figmenta  et  Paga» 
norum  historias,  seculariumque  literarum  studia,  velut  stercora  respuisse  ; 
omnemque  mentis  inlentionem  ad  divina  perscnitanda  convertisse.  Jn  Epist. 
ad  Magnifred. 

II  Cum  juvenisadhuc,  in  omni  disciplinarum  genere  exercerer,  certo  affirmare 
possum,  me  non  minus  quam  reliquos  xquales  meos  protecisse,  SiC  Zuingi.  lib- 
de  Certitud.  iS  Veritat.  Verbi  Dei. 


518  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

he  only  teach  this  word  to  faithful  christians,  who  are 
the  only  true  school  of  Christ  in  the  world. 

Now  by  all  this  it  appears,  that  the  schools  of  the  pro- 
phets and  apostles,  and  of  Christ  himself  the  head  of 
them,  and  of  the  most  faithful  christians,  that  followed 
Christ  in  the  first  and  latter  ages,  were  in  no  sort  like  the 
schools  in  the  present  universities,  where  human  learn- 
ing, according  to  the  statutes  of  the  universities,  prevails 
for  the  first  seven  years,  and  they  think,  youth  cannot 
be  made  good  christians,  except  they  be  first  made  good 
lieathens. 

The  schools  of  the  prophets  and  apostles  would  not 
meddle  with  the  philosophy  of  the  heathen,  but  led  the 
children  and  youth  presently  to  the  word  of  God,  and 
therein  to  the  true  knowledge  of  God  in  Christ :  But 
these  schools  first  lead  youth  from  God  and  his  word, 
several  years  together,  to  the  corrupt  reason,  wisdom, 
notions,  conceptions ;  yea,  to  the  idolatry,  blasphemy, 
atheism,  lusts,  filthiuess,  and  villanies  of  the  heathen, 
that  thereby,  in  a  strange  and  antichristian  method,  they 
may  be  the  fitter  to  know  and  understand  the  scriptures. 

The  schools  of  the  prophets  taught  only  Moses  and 
the  prophets,  to  the  Jewish  youth;  and  the  schools  of 
the  apostles  taught  Christ  only  and  his  gospel,  to  the 
children  of  christians :  But  the  universities  lead  men, 
both  from  Moses  and  from  Christ,  both  from  the  law  and 
the  gospel,  to  the  heathen,  to  make  men  hereby  the  more 
able  christians  and  divines. 

The  queen  of  the  south,  neglecting  the  magi,  or  wise 
men  of  the  heathen,  came  from  the  utmost  parts  of  the 
earth,  to  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon  :  And  the  universi- 
ties leave  Christ,  who  is  infinitely  greater  and  wiser  than 
Solomon,  and  go  to  the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth  for  wis- 
dom from  the  heathen.  So  that,  in  these  universities, 
there  hath  been  the  greatest  apostacy  and  withdrawing 
from  Christ  and  the  greatest  dishonour  and  disparage- 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  519 

iiicnt  offered  to  him  and  his  gospel,  as  ever  was  known 
in  all  the  world. 

For,  is  it  not  a  matter  of  greatest  wonder  and  amaze- 
ment, that  after  that  word,  wiiich  was  with  God,  and 
■was  God,  and  is  God,  blessed  for  ever,  hatli  been  mani- 
fested in  the  flesh,  and  that  flesh  of  his  hath  been  justified 
by  the  Spirit,  to  have  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelling 
in  it  bodily :  And,  that  this  so  wonderful  a  person  hath  come 
to  his  church,  in  the  same  common  nature  with  it,  filled 
■with  all  the  righteousness,  wisdom,  truth,  power,  life, 
peace  and  joy,  and  all  the  things  of  God  ;  I  say,  is  it  not 
strange,  that  he,  who  alone  comprehends  the  fulness  of 
all  things,  and  in  w  hom  are  hid  all  the  infinite  treasures 
of  divine  and  heavenly  wisdom  and  know  ledge  ;  that  he 
alone  should  not  be  counted  sufficient  and  enough,  no, 
not  by  those  who  pretend  his  name,  to  make  us  w  ise  to 
salvation,  which  is  the  only  true,  excellent,  and  necessa- 
ry wisdom  in  the  world,  and  to  make  the  man  of  God 
perfect,  and  the  whole  church  of  God  complete?  but  to 
the  great  dishonour  of  Christ,  yea,  to  the  very  rejection 
of  Christ,  the  children  of  christians  must  be  led  from  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  to  the  doc- 
trine and  disciplines  of  the  wicked  heathen  :  and  to  spend 
the  prime  and  flower  of  their  youth  in  these  things? 
Who  but  antichrist  himself  could  have  brought  in,  and 
set  up  such  an  abomination  of  desolation  in  the  church  of 
God? 

And  yet,  for  the  better  credit  of  all  things,  must  these 
corrupt  heathenish  schools  be  called  ^'the  schools  of  the 
prophets  ;"  though  nothing  but  the  ignorance  of  the  law 
and  gospel  be  taught  in  them  ;  and  the  highest  enmity  to 
Christ  in  all  the  world,  lives  and  flourishes  in  them. 

And  thus,  as  the  christian  schools  at  first,  brought  men 
from  heathenism  to  the  gospel ;  so  these  schools  carry  men 
from   the  gospel  to  heathenism,  as  to  their  perfection. 

And  the  fruit  of  this  education  of  vouth  is  manifest : 


520  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

For  where  hath  the  gospel  found  less  favour,  and  more 
enmity  at  any  time,  than  from  the  universities  ? 

Ridley  the  martyr,  with  Cramner  and  others,  being  in 
prison  in  Oxford  for  the  testimony  of  the  gospel,  writes 
thus  to  Bradford,  *'  As  yet,  saith  he,  there  was  never  a 
learned  man,  nor  any  scholar,  or  other  that  visited  us, 
since  we  came  into  Bocardo.^^ 

And  in  another  letter  to  him,  he  saith,  "  And  yet,  as 
^^  we  hear,  the  scholars  bear  us  more  heavily  than  the 
^^  townsmen :  A  wonderful  thing,  among  so  many,  never 
^^  yet  scholar  offered  any  of  us,  so  far  as  1  know,  any 
^^  manner  of  favour,  either  for,  or  in  Christ's  cause*." 

Yea  further,  where  shall  you  see  youth  again  in  all  the 
nation,  so  vain,  proud,  fantastical,  bold,  impudent? 
Where  shall  you  meet  with  such  mockers  and  scoffers  at 
God,  and  his  gospel,  as  here  ?  How  many  hopeful  youths 
have  here  been  sacrificed  to  the  heathen,  and  their  care- 
ful parents,  after  much  cost,  have  received  them  home  as 
full  of  heathenish  manners,  as  doctrine  ?  And  if  some  arc 
lately  become  more  civil,  and  seemingly  religious  ;  yet  is 
their  enmity  to  the  gospel  in  its  true  spiritual  sense,  as 
it  is  the  word  of  faith,  nothing  abated  ;  for  such  as  is  the 
doctrine  among  them,  such  also  of  necessity  must  their 
consciences  and  lives  be. 

Wherefore  the  universities,  according  to  their  statutes 
and  usual  practice,  are  not  the  schools  of  the  prophets,  or 
of  christians,  but  of  heathen  men  ;  and  Plato,  and  Ari- 
stotle, have  more  credit  in  the  university,  than  Moses,  or 
Christ  himself.  And,  if  after  their  course,  or  running 
their  circle  in  philosopliy,  they  betake  themselves  to  di- 
vinity ;  yet  do  they  so  mingle,  spoil,  and  corrupt  it  with 
philosophy,  according  to  which  they  both  understand  the 
scriptures,  and  speak  of  them,  that  their  divinity  cannot 

•i^'av,  vol.  3.p.442,443. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  gsi 

be  called  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  but  of  antichrist,  being 
wholly  contrary  to  the  word  of  faith. 

And  therefore  Vlr  Simpson  was  the  more  to  blame 
for  flattering  them  in  their  evils,  and  to  deceive  the 
world,  in  appropriating  to  them  the  glorious  title  of  the 
schools  of  the  prophets,  who  are  in  all  things,  so  contra- 
ry and  contradictory  to  them. 

Now  the  sum  and  certainty  of  this  matter,  is  this ; 
That  the  congregations  of  believers,  where  only  the  word 
of  the  gospel  is  truly  taught,  according  to  the  ministration 
of  the  Spirit,  whether  to  youth  or  men,  they,  under  the 
New  Testament,  are  answerable  to  the  schools  of  the 
prophets  under  the  Old,  who  only  taught  ./Woses  and  the 
prophets  :  And  the  universities,  wherein  philosophy  is 
first  taught  the  youth,  and  after,  divinity,  and  then  both 
are  mingled  together,  to  the  utter  perverting  and  cor- 
rupting the  gospel  of  Christ ;  I  say,  these  universities, 
in  the  time  of  the  gospel,  are  answerable  to  the  high- 
places  in  the  time  of  the  law,  where  a  doctrine  and 
worship  prevailed,  which  was  not  according  to  God's 
word,  but  man's  will ;  and  where  Judaism  and  Hea- 
thenism were  mingled  together  into  one  mungrel  religion, 
most  odious  and  abominable  to  God  and  his  people  : 
And  so  the  universities,  in  the  time  of  the  gospel,  are 
only  answerable  to  the  high-places  in  the  time  of  the 
law  :  but  not  at  all  to  the  schools  of  the  prophets,  as  Mi' 
Simpson  pretends. 

And  now,  for  the  conclusion  of  this  matter,  which  I 
reckon  to  be  of  great  concernment  for  the  true  church  to 
be  thoroughly  instructed  in  :  I  shall  bring  forth  the  tes- 
timony of  some  godly  men;  of  whom  some  shew  how  the 
schools  and  universities  of  christian's  came  first  to  be  cor- 
rupted, to  wit,  by  departing  from  the  plain  word  of  the 
gospel,  and  bringing  in  philosophy :  And  another  fore- 
tels  the  reformation  of  the  schools  of  christians  again,  to 
wit;  by  rejecting  philosophy  agaiu^  and  bringing  in  the 

3U 


52^  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

word  of  faith.    All  which  will  serve  as  a  confirmation  of 
what  hath  been  already  spoken. 

Matthias  Parisiensis^^  Bohemian  by  nation,  wholived 
about  the  year  1380,  wrote  a  large  book  against  anti- 
christ, wherein  he  affirms,  ^'  that  antichrist  had  seduced 
'*  all  universities  and  colleges  of  learned  men ;  so  that 
^'  now  they  teach  no  sincere  doctrine,  neither  give  any 
^*  true  light  to  christians  through  their  teaching* :''  to  wit, 
they  being  all  corrupted  through  philosophy,  and  having, 
through  that,  corrupted  all  divinity. 

And  John  Hus,  that  humble  and  faithful  servant  of 

Jesus  Christ,  and  blessed  martyr,  saith,  "That  antichrist 

^  hath  seduced  all  carnal  christians  from  divine  wisdom, 

^  which  is  full  of  salvation,  and  the  holy  Spirit,  to  the 

*  wisdom  and  science  of  men,  and  of  the  princes  of  this 
^  world ;  which  wisdom  and  science,  he  hath  exceed- 
^  ingly  inlarged  and  increased,  and  made  authentieal, 
'  and  very  gainful  of  riches  and  honours  in  this  world  : 
^  that  so,  by  those  means,  divine  wisdom  and  science 
^  might  be  neglected  of  christians,  and  grow  old,  and  be 
^  covered  over,  and  be  accounted  as  vile  and  unprofita- 

*  ble  by  them  ;  and  that,  only  that,  which  is  high  with 
^  men,  to  wit,  human  learning,  might  be  reckoned  glo- 
^  rious  and  excellent,  and  of  great  authority  with  chris- 
^  tian  peoplef.'^ 

The  same  Hus  saith,  ^^That  this  human  learning,  wis- 
'  dom  and  knowledge,  antichrist  doth  perfectly  subject 
'  to  himself,  and  his  service,  he  being  more  mighty  and 
^  subtil  through  the  operation  of  Satan,  than  all  worldly 

•  Matthias  Parisiensis.     Antichristum    omnes   universitates  et  eruilitorum 
collegia  seduxisse,  ita  ut  jam  nihil  sani  doceant,  aat  chi'islianis  recte  sua  doc 
trina,  prxluceant    lUyric.  Flac.  Catal.  'Jest.  Veritat. 

\  Seduxit  amicliristus  a  divina  sapientia,  plena  salute  et  spiritu  sancto,  ad  pru- 
dentiam  et  scientiam  hominum  &  principiiim  hujus  mundi :  quam  copiavit 
nimis  vehementer,  h.  dilatavit  Jc  authenticavit  and  lucrosam  divitarum  & 
bonorum  in  hoc  seculo  effecit,  ut  ita  divina  sapientia.  &  scientia  esset  neglecta 
a  christianis,  inveterata  &  obducta,  &  quasi  vilis  &inutilis  ab  iisdem  reputata. 
Ss-C.  Joh,  Hus.  lib.  de  vita  iS^  reg.  antichr.  cap.  30. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  5S3 

**  meu,  whom,  with  all  their  learning,  disciplines  andabi- 
"  lities,  he  strongly  subjugates  to  himself,  and  doth  espe- 
'*  cially  serve  himself  of  these  ;  wherefore  saith  Job, 
'^  chap.  xli.  sub  ipso  erunt  radii  solis,  the  beams  of  the 
"  sun  shall  be  under  him,  that  is,  the  holy  scripture,  and 
^*  the  chief  doctors  and  teachers  of  it :  and  he  shall  pre- 
^^  pare  gold  as  dirt,  that  is,  he  shall  have  all  the 
^*  wisdon  and  learning  of  men  at  his  pleasure,  and  in 
^^  great  readiness,  and  with  much  ease,  shall  gain  it  to 
^^  himself.  And  antichrist,  by  such  men,  saith  John  Hus, 
'^  doth  make  his  body,  or  church,  strong  against  the  saints 
'^  of  God,  and  well-favoured  and  glorious,  that  it  may 
^•'  appear  very  taking  to  the  world,  and  may  win  all  men 
''  to  it,  that  are  not  taught  of  God,  and  renewed  by  his 
'^  Spirit.*^  And  thus  antichrist  serves  himself  of  all 
learning  and  learned  meu ;  whereas  divine  learning,  and 
the  teaching  of  God,  he  could  never,  in  any  measure, 
subject  to  himself,  but  is  always  discovered,  resisted  and 
overcome  bv  it. 

Martin  Luther  saith,  ^*  That  whosoever  it  was,  whe- 
'^  ther  Alexander  of  Hales,  or  Thomas  of  Aquine,  who 
''  first  instituted  universities  ;  he  was  a  star  fallen  from 
^'  heaven  to  earth,  who  received  the  key  of  the  bottom- 
^^  less  pit,  and  opened  it,  and  brought  forth  into  the 
^^  church,  philosophy,  long  ago  dead  and  damned  by  the 
''  doctrine  of  the  apostles  ;  and  from  the  smoke  of  the 
"  bottomless  pit,  that  is,  philosophy,  came  forth  locusts 
'*  on  the  earth  ;  that  is,  saith  he,  populus  universitatumf 
^'  e  philosophia  natus,  the  people  of  the  universities,  bora 
"  and  bred  of  philosophy,  &c.''  Thus  Luther^. 

Abbas  Joachim  Calaber ,  who  was  long  before  these, 
and  flourished  about  the  year  1230,  in  his  commentary 
on  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  speaks  to  this  purpose.  That 
the  sixth  angel,  mentioned  Rev.  ix.  opens  the  pottomless 
pit,  and  brings  out  philosophy  into  the  church  5  and  out 

*  J\I.  Luther.  I)s  Captiv.  Babylon. 


&M  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

of  the  smolie  of  this  doctrine  locusts  proceeded,  aud  are 
spread  overall  the  church  into  every  fruitful  place;  and 
these  locusts,  he  saith,  are  scholastici  8{  magistri,  qui 
nunc  facie  tenus  blandiuntiir  ut  decipiant,  nunc  cauda 
tenusferiunt  ut  subvertant  simplices  S^incautos;  that  is, 
^^  the  locusts  are  scholars  and  masters,  according  to  their 
"  academical  degrees,  who  sometimes  flatter  with  their 
"  countenances  to  deceive,  and  sometimes  strike  with 
"  their  tails,  that  they  may  suhrert  the  simple  aud  uu- 
"  advised.  And  to  these  scholars  and  masters,  the  ig- 
^*  norant  and  common  people  resort ;  and  they  open  to 
^^  them  the  old  cisterns  of  heathenish  learning  and  dis- 
^^  ciplines,  long  ago  stopt  up  by  the  doctrine  of  the  apos- 
''  ties  :  and  these  cisterns  they  open,  by  teaching  philo- 
^^  sophy  to  the  people  :  But  they  shut  up  the  living 
'^'fountain  of  saving  icater,  that  is,  the  icord  of  faith  : 
^'  But  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  saith  he,  in  the  following 
^^  prophets,  whom  the  Lord  shall  raise  up,  Idola  studi- 
^•'  orum  carnalium  visitabit,  shall  visit  the  idols  of  carnal 
'^  studies,  maintained  and  kept  up  by  secular  stipends." 
Further  he  saith,  that  "  as  antichrist  brings  forth  his 
^^  mark,  which  is,  philosophical  doctrine,  into  the  church 
^^  of  Christ,  and  by  this  mark,  all  his  teachers  and  peo- 
^^  pic  are  known  ;  so  there  shall  rise  up  against  these, 
''  such  as  have  the  mark  of  Christ,  or  the  sign  of  Thau 
^*  in  their  foreheads,  that  is,  the  open  and  manifest  doc- 
^^  trine  of  Christ  crucified.  And  as  the  signs  of  Moses 
*^  destroyed  the  signs  of  the  magicians,  so  shall  the  word 
^^  or  preaching  of  the  cross,  destroy  all  philosophical 
''  doctrine,  and  human  and  secular  learning  out  of  th« 
^^  church."  \nd  then  the  children,  and  youth,  and  men 
of  all  ages,  sorts,  and  conditions,  shall  be  taught  no  other 
doctrine  in  the  church  of  Christ,  than  that  which  is  found 
in  the  scriptures,  even  in  the  writings  of  the  prophets 
and  apostles  ;  and  that  not  according  to  any  human  and 
philosopliical  understanding,  but  according  to  the  teach- 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  5^3 

ing  and  mind  of  the  Spirit.  "  And  God,  by  all  his  true 
**  servants,  shall  destroy  the  studies  of  carnal  doctors, 
"  and  masters  in  divinity,  and  shall  dissipate  all  secular 
'*  and  philosophical  learning,  by  the  word  of  truth  in 
^'  their  mouths."  And  so  shall  the  church  be  reformed 
aright,  when  the  doctrine  of  Christ  only  shall  be  receiv- 
ed and  esteemed,  and  shall  live  and  flourish  among  chris- 
tians. 

And  thus  antichrist  hath  laid  aside  the  scriptures,  and 
all  true  spiritual  and  divine  learning  out  of  his  schools 
•  and  universities,  and  hath  brought  into  them,  instead 
thereof,  philosophy  and  human  learning;  and  so  these 
schools  are  most  unlike  to  the  schools  of  the  prophets  :  so 
in  due  time,  when  God  shall  undertake  to  reform  his 
church,  all  this  sort  of  learning  shall  be  cast  out  again, 
as  dirt  and  dung,  and  the  plain  word  of  the  gospel  only 
shall  prevail  and  flourish  among  the  christian  people ; 
Which  time  may  the  Lord  hasten  for  his  elects  sake. 
2,  ERROR. 

That  they  who  have  endeavoured  to  pull  down  schools, 
jiave  always  been  men  who  were  found  enemies  to  reli- 
gion ;  so  Julian  the  apostate  shut  up  the  doors  of  the 
schools,  because  he  would  have  all  religion  to  go  down. 

Answer.  True  it  is,  that  they  who  have  sought  the  sub- 
version  of  christian  schools,  wherein  the  doctrine  of  the 
gospel  is  purely  taught,  without  the  mixture  of  philoso- 
phy and  heathenism,  they  all  have  been,  and  are  very 
enemies  to  true  religion  :  But  they  that  seek  to  put  down 
heathenish  schools,  and  to  erect  christian,  or  to  reform 
the  schools  of  heathen  into  christian,  or  to  remove  hea- 
thenism out  of  christian  schools,  they  are  not,  before 
God  and  good  men,  enemies  to  true  religion,  but  the 
great  friends  of  it.  Nay,  they  that  call  heathenish 
schools  by  the  name  of  christian,  that  they  may  still  re- 
main with  the  better  credit  in  their  heathenism,  without 
any  true  reformation  according  to  the  gospel,  I  rather 


526  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

judge  them  to  be  enemies  to  true  religion,  and  friends 
only  to  their  own  profit,  preferment  and  ends. 

Julian  indeed  did  forbid  tha^t  christians  should  be  in- 
structed in  the  disciplines  of  the  Gentiles;  but,  saith  So- 
zomeii,  the  writer  of  the  ecclesiastical  history,  he  did 
this  because  he  thought,  that  by  those  disciplines,  men 
might  attain  to  a  great  faculty  to  persuade,  which  ad- 
vantage he  w  ould  not  have  the  christians  to  gain,  to  the 
help  of  their  religlon*^.  Now  certainly  this  was  done, 
as  SocrateSf  another  writer  of  the  ecclesiastical  history, 
doth  acknowledge,  by  the  singular  providence  of  God. 
For,  seeing  christians  had  begun  to  degenerate  from  the 
gospel,  and  to  betake  themselves  to  heathenish  learning, 
Julian  attributed  all  the  glory  and  excellency  of  Chris- 
tianity to  that  learning,  and  so  thought,  with  Mr  Simp- 
son, that  if  human  learning  were  denied  to  christians, 
Christianity  itself  would  soon  be  at  an  end.  Wherefore 
the  Lord  stirred  up  Julian,  to  put  down  the  doctrine  of 
the  heathen  in  the  schools  of  christians,  that  it  might 
appear  to  all  the  world,  "  That  as  the  true  christian  re- 
'"ligiou  is  not  helped  by  human  learning,  so  neither  is 
•'^it  hindered  by  the  want  of  it :"  And  that  there  is  more 
light,  knowledge,  truth,  wisdom,  power,  and  utterance, 
given  to  christians  by  the  unction  of  the  Spirit  alone, 
which  all  receive  who  believe,  than  through  all  heathen- 
ish disciplines  :  And  also,  that  it  might  be  manifest,  that 
true  Christianity  is  founded  on  faith  in  Christ,  and  the 
gift  of  his  Spirit  only,  and  not  at  all  on  human  learn- 
ing. For  what  human  learning  had  Peter  and  John? 
and  yet,  in  what  wisdom  and  authority  did  they,  being 
ignorant  and  unlearned  men,  reprove,  convince,  and  si- 
lence the  greatest  and  ablest  men  of  the  Jews?  Acts  iv. 
13.  And  wliat  liuman  learning  had  Stephen?  and  yet 
he  confuted  tlie  Libertines,  and  CyrenianSf  and  Mexan- 

•  Vetuit  ne  chrisliani  GeiUilium  disciplinis  uisti-iferentur.    Sozomen.  Hi:- 

tor.  Eccles.  cap.  17. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  5^ 

dridnSy  and  all  the  pliilosophers  of  Cicilia,  and  Jlsia, 
which  disputed  with  him ;  and  theij  all  icere  not  able  to  re- 
sistf  not  the  human  learning,  but  the  icisdom  and  Spirit  by 
which  he  spake:  Acts  vi.  10.  iVnd  Christ  hath  promised 
all  his  people,  that  when,  for  his  name's  sake,  they  should 
he  brought  before  kings  and  rulers^  who  usually  have  the 
greatest  accomplishments  of  human  learning,  that  theu 
they  should  not  study  beforehand  whafto  say ;  for  he 
would  give  them,  in  that  very  hour,  a  mouth  and  icisdom, 
zchich  none  of  their  adversaries  should  be  able  to  resist. 
And  the  power  and  virtue  of  the  gospel,  and  the"  wisdom, 
knowledge,  and  utterance  of  God's  Spirit,  is  more  glo- 
riously manifest  in  plain  men  than  in  learned  men ;  for 
in  the  one,  the  grace  and  virtues  of  the  Spirit  are  attri- 
buted to  human  learning ;  but  in  tlie  other,  to  God  onl^'', 
who  dwells  in  them.  Wherefore,  that  the  wisdom  and 
knowledge,  and  light,  and  power  of  the  word  of  faith  in 
true  christians,  might  not  be  attributed  to  human  learn- 
ing, God  stirred  up  an  enemy  to  the  cliristian  religion, 
to  be  so  serviceable  to  it,  as  to  hinder  heathenish  doc- 
trine from  being  taught  in  the  schools  of  christians;  that 
so  the  church  might  be  restored  to  be  as  in  the  days  of 
its  youth,  when  there  flourished  in  it  only  the  simple  and 
plain  word  of  faith,  without  any  intermingling  of  philo- 
sophy or  human  doctrine.  And  if  Constantine  had  made 
such  an  order  in  his  time,  Julian  had  not  had  such  an 
opportunity  to  have  renounced  cliristianity,  and  turned 
heathen.  For  Julian  being  instructed  in  tlie  philosophy 
and  disciplines  of  the  heathen  by  Libanius  his  tutor,  by 
this  means,  he  came  to  love  piiilosophy  better  than  the 
gospel,  and  so  by  degrees,  turned  from  Christianity  to 
lieathenism.  Which  may  be  a  fair  warning  to  all  chris- 
tians, that  they  suffer  not  their  children  to  be  so  edu- 
cated, lest  at  last,  with  Julian,  they  (at  least  in  their 
hearts)  lothe  and  reject  the  gospel,  and  -become  with 
him,  apostates  and  pagans. 


5^8  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

And  hence  it  is  most  evident,  that  heathenish  philoso- 
phy is  so  far  from  being  a  profitable  study  for  the  chil- 
dren  of  christians,  that  it  is  very  dangerous  for  them  to 
be  so  educated,  as  Socrates  is  forced  to  confess ;  where 
lie  saith,  "'  For  christians  to  be  thoroughly  instructed  iu 
^'  the  disciplines  of  the  Gentiles,  there  is  none  will  grant 
*^^that  this  is  profitable  to  the  christian  religion  :  For  it 
^^  is  not  without  danger  for  christians  to  be  taught  in  the 
^^  learning  of  the  heathens,  seeing  this  teacheth  that  there 
^^are  many  gods.  And  therefore,  saith  he,  the  doctrine 
'^^  of  the  heathen  is  not  approved  by  Christ,  or  any  of  his 
•^^  apostles  or  disciples*.'^ 

Wherefore,  said  Luther,  "  My  counsel  is,  that  a  youth 
^^  should  shun  philosophy,  and  school-divinity,  as  the 
*  death  of  his  soul  §.'' 

3.  ERROR. 

That  the  knowledge  of  heavenly  things  cannot  come 
io  us  but  by  things  on  earth  :  and  that  all  divinity  is 
swadled  in  human  learning. 

*lnswer.  I  conceive  that  all  christians,  at  the  first  read- 
ing of  this,  will  acknowledge  that  this  doctrine  is  not 
divine,  but  philosophical. 

The  philosophers  say,  that  nothing  is  in  the  understand- 
ing, but  that  which  is  first  in  the  sense  ;  which  is  propor- 
tionable to  that  which  Mr  Simpson  speaks  ;  and  yet  they 
know  not  what  they  say,  when  they  say  so.  But  let  us 
consider  if  this  be  so :  ".That  the  knowledge  of  heavenly 
^^  things  cannot  come  to  us  but  by  things  on  earth  :  then 

*  Christianos  de  integro  gentilium  disclplinam  imbibere,  nemo  est  qui  chris- 
tians religioni  prodesse  concesserit.  Ni*m  non  est  extra  periculum  christianos 
Gtentilium  eruditione  instituti,  quippe  quae  docet  multos  esse  Deos  Socrates 
Histor.  Eccles.  cap.  14. 

§  Meum  consilium  est,  ut  adolescens  vitet  philosophiam  ac  theologiaiu  scho- 
iMticam,  ut  mortem  animse  suse.    Luth,  Tam.  2.  /oi,  434-  ^. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  529 

liow  shall  we  know  the  mystery  of  God,  even  the  father, 
and  the  mystery  of  Christ,  who  is  God  manifest  in  the 
flesh  ?   Or  how  shall  the  mystery  of  faith,  and  of  onr 
union   with    Christ  through  faith,    into  one  flesh  and 
Spirit  with  him,  be  known  ?    Or   the   new  birth   and 
new  creature  which  hath   all  things  new  in   it,    and 
all  those  new  things,  the  tilings  of  God  ?  Or  how  shall 
the  free  justification  of  a   sinner,   through   tlie  death 
of  Christ,   and  his  reconciliation  to  God,   be  known  ? 
with  all  the  rest  of  the  things  of  the  gospel?  seeing  noth- 
ing on  earth  can  reveal  the  least  part  of  these  things  ? 
And  if  the  world  by  wisdom,  that  is,  its  philosoph}*, 
knew  not  God,  how  can  it,  by  that  Avisdom,  reveal  God 
and  his  things,  which  it  never  knew  ?   Nay,  the  apostle 
doth  clearly  testify  against  this  carnal  and  corrupt  doc- 
trine, in  1  Cor.  ii.  7,  8,  saying.  We  speak  the  wisdom  of 
God  in  a  mystery ,  even  the  hidden  wisdom,   which   God 
ordained  before  the  world,  unto  our  Glory,   which  none 
of  the  princes  of  this  icorld  knew  :    and   by  princes   of 
this  world,  he  means,  not  only  worldly  powers,  as  Chry- 
sostom  affirmsj  but  also  philosophers  and  orators,  who 
often  obtained  the  chief  government  among  the  nations. 
God  hath  wrapped  up  his  gospel,  saith  Paul,  into  such 
hidden  wisdom,  that  they  are  never  able  to  search  into 
it,  or  to  discover  the  least  part  of  it,  seeing  God  con- 
trived it  all,  and  appointed  it  before  the  u'orld,  unto  our  glo- 
ry: and  all  their  knowledge  is  but  from  the  world.  Yea, 
he  adds,  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard^  neither  have 
ever  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  ichich  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him  :   In  which  words, 
God  hath  shut  out  the  natural  man  for  ever,  with  all  his 
study,  knowledge,  abilities,  aiM  attainments,  from  hav- 
ing any  right  understanding  of  his  kingdom,  or  the  things 
of  it  -  For  the  eye  of  man  hath  not  seen   them  at  any 
time,  nor  his  ear  heard  them,  nor  hath  anv  knniHedge 

SX 


530  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

of  them  entered  into  his  heart :  so  far  is  this  doctrine 
from  truth,  that  the  knowledge  of  heavenly  things  can- 
not come  to  us  but  by  things  on  earth.  But  the  apostle 
shews  how  the  faithful  came  to  know  these  high,  holy, 
spiritual,  and  eternal  things,  which  lie  infinitely  beyond 
the  knowledge  and  discovery  of  all  men,  to  wit,  by  the 
Spirit ;  saying,  But  God  hath  revealed  them  to  us  by  the 
Spirit;  for  the  Spirit  searcheth  all  things;  yea,  the  deep 
things  of  God;  ver.  10.  So  that  the  people  of  God  know 
the  things  of  the  gospel,  not  by  earthly  things,  as  Mr 
Simpson  aflSrms,  nor  by  philosophy  and  outward  wisdom, 
which  only  reaches  to  earthly  things,  but  by  the  Spirit*. 

Farther,  If  all  divinity  be  swadled  in  human  learning; 
then  I  do  affirm,  that  all  such  divinity  hath  no  great 
depth,  seeing  the  bottom  of  human  learning  is  easily 
fathomed. 

But  can  any  christian  heart  think,  that  all  true  divinity^ 
which  comprehends  in  it  the  heighth,  and  breadth,  and 
length,  and  depth  of  the  love  of  God,  which  passeth 
"knowledge,  and  all  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ, 
and  all  the  infinite  and  incomprehensible  treasures  of 
his  wisdom,  power,  and  righteousness,  of  his  love,  good- 
ness, truth,  faithfulness,  and  of  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead^  wherewith  he  is  filled,  can  be  contained  and 
wrapped  up  in  the  narrow  and  scant  bounds  of  human 
learning  ?  How  much  truer  doctrine  had  it  been  to  have 
taught,  that  all  true  divinity  is  contained  in  God  and  his 
word,  and  that  we  can  know  nothing  of  God  aright,  but 
by  his  word,  which  holy  men  have  spoken  by  the  spi- 
rit, and  believers  do  receive  by  faith  ;  and  out  of  this 
word,  all  the  learning  in  the  world  doth  not  contain  hi 
itself,  neither  can  it  rev«al  to  us  aright,  the  least  thing 
of  God,  or  of  his  mind  and  will. 

*  Ov  ^ici  t;)$  e^ctOev  a-ocpiu^  ;  uvrvi  yec^  KxBuTrep  t<?  B-epetTrxivtg  tjT ifMii^i)!'': 
UK  a<^»6ti  tvJav  -irfPiflt-v  f^  TrxpuKuipxi    f'j   tm  S'ea'WeTiKX   fAVi>ifi»,      Chl'V 

sostom.  in  1  Epist.  ad  Cor.  Horn.  7. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  531 

But  I  conceive  he  might  speak  thus,  that  all  divinity 
is  wrapped  up  in  human  learning,  to  deter  the  common 
people  from  the  study  and  enquiry  after  it,  and  to  cause 
them  still  to  expect  all  divinity  from  the  clergy,  who,  by 
their  education,  have  attained  to  that  human  learning, 
which  the  plain  people  are  destitute  of:  For  it  is  the  old 
aiid  new  design  of  antichrist,  to  make  the  people  depend 
on  the  clergy  for  all  divinity,  though  the  people  have  the 
scriptures  as  near  them,  and  the  grace  of  God  usually 
nearer  to  them,  than  they  ;  seeing  God  resists  the  proud, 
and  gives  grace  to  the  humble. 

Again,  if  all  divinity  be  swadled  in  human  learning, 
then  must  it  sadly  follow,  that  all  who  want  human  learn- 
ing, must  needs  also  want  divinity;  and  then  how  shall 
poor  plain  people,  who  live  in  lawful  callings,  and  have 
not  the  leisure  to  attain  human  learning,  how  shall  they 
do  to  be  saved?  Or  what  help  must  they  have  to  teach 
them  divinity,  who  have  not  opportunity  to  gain  human 
learning  ? 

And  yet  farther,  if  all  divinity  be  swadled  in  human 
learning;  then  Christ  and  his  apostles  had  no  true  divi- 
nity ;  for  they  had  no  human  learning  to  swadle  it  in, 
neither  would  have  any  :  Shall  we  say  now,  according 
to  Mr  Simpson^s  doctrine,  that  they  had  no  divinity?  I 
do,  with  all  boldness  affirm,  that  this  doctrine  is  contrary 
to  the  christian  faith. 

4.  ERROR. 

That  Paul  was  brought  up  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel^ 
and  God  took  him  so  fitted,  to  wit,  with  human  learning, 
and  made  him  an  able  instrument  in  his  church. 

Answer.  Not  so,  but  God  took  Paul,  not  a  good  scho- 
lar, and  so  made  him  an  able  preacher ;  but  he  took  him, 
as  a  blasphemer  and  persecutor,  and  as  a  cruel  and  en- 
raged enemy  against  Christ  and  his  truth,  and  people, 
and  magnified  the  riches  of  his  mercy  in  converting  such 


53S  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

an  one:  and  Paiil,\myin^muc}i  forgiven  him, loved  much; 
and  through  his  great  love,  was  the  fitter  to  preach  the 
gospel,  according  to  that  of  Christ  to  Peter  ;  Peter,  dost 
thou  love  me  ?  feed  my  sheep.  Yea,  Paul  himself  as- 
cribes bis  painful  and  profitable  preaching,  not  to  his 
learning  and  education  under  Gamaliel^  which  was,  or 
ought  to  have  been,  only  in  the  law  and  prophets,  as  hath 
been  proved,  but  to  the  free  grace  of  God  bestowed  on 
him  ;  saying,  I  laboured  more  abundantly  than  they  all; 
yet  not  J,  but  the  grace  of  God  in  me  :  So  that  Paul  be- 
came so  excellent  a  preacher,  not  by  his  fitting  through 
human  learning,  but  through  the  grace  of  God. 

And  here  I  shall  mind  Mr  Simi)Son  of  a  passage 
wljich  I  have  read  in  Chrysostom,  which  comes  home  to 
this  matter  in  hand ;  it  is  in  his  third  homily  on  the  first 
epistle  to  the  Corinthians^  where  he  said,  *•  That  God 
"  had  uo  need,  at  the  beginning  of  the  gospel,  of  learned 
^''  mrn,  and  sophisters,  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  to  con- 
"  vince  the  world  with  syllogisms  ;  but  did  only  use  the 
^^  word  of  faitli,  in  the  mouths  of  plain  handicrafts-men, 
"  and  artificers  :  Wherefore,  saith  he,  when  the  Greeks 
"  shall  accuse  the  disciples  of  Christ,  as  ignorant  of  let- 
"  ters,  and  unlearned,  let  us  ourselves,  who  are  christians, 
^'  accuse  them  more.  Neither  let  any  one  say,  that  Paul 
"  was  wise  and  learned  ;  but  let  us  say,  their  men  were 
^^  wise  and  learned,  but  ours  were  rude  and  ignorant : 
^^  For  m  thus  doing,  according  to  the  truth,  we  shall 
"  have  the  greater  advantage  against  them.  For  if  Paul 
'^  was  unlearned,  and  yet  overcame  learned  Plato,  his 
'^  victory  was  the  greater,  and  the  grace  of  God  the  more 
"  glorious.  Now  tViis  I  say,  saith  he,  because  the  other 
"  day,  I  heard  a  certain  christian  discoursing  ridiculous- 
^<  ly  with  a  Greek  ;  each  of  them  in  their  discourse,  pre- 
"judicing  their  own  cause:  For  the  Greek  spake  that 
'^  which  the  christian  should  have  said ;  and  the  chris- 
^•'  tian  spake  that  which  the  Greek  should  have  said.  For 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  533 

*^  the  question  between  them  being,  touching  Paul  and 
**  Plato.  The  Greek  endeavoured  to  prove  tiiat  Paul  was 
*'  rude  and  unlearned  ;  but  the  christian,  througlthis  sim- 
"  plicity,  did  endeavour  to  prove,  that  Paul  was  more 
"  learned  and  eloquent  tlian  Plato.  And  so,  the  Greek 
^'  would  obtain  the  victory,  if  the  christian's  reason 
"  should  prevail.  For  if  Paul  were  more  learned  than 
'^  Plato,  then  might  men  object,  that  he  overcame  not  the 
^'  world  through  grace,  but  through  eloquence.  AVhere- 
^"  fore,  that  w  hich  the  christian  spake,  made  for  the 
^^  Greek  ;  and  that  which  the  Greek  spake,  made  for  the 
'^  christian.  Wherefore,  he  saith,  when  the  Greeks  shall 
"  say  the  apostles  were  rude,  and  unlearned,  poor,  mean, 
"  simple,  obscure  persons  ;  let  us  acknowledge  it  as  the 
••'  truth  :  For  this  is  not  their  reproach,  but  their  glory  ; 
^'^  that  being  such,  they  yet  overcame  the  learned  men, 
"  the  w  ise  men,  the  philosophers,  the  rhetoricians,  the 
**  orators,  the  princes,  and  all  the  world,  as  if  they  had 
"  not  been  men.  For  when  any  thing  is  done  above  the 
"  state  and  power  of  nature,  this  doth  exceedingly  mani- 
"  fest  and  magnify  the  grace  of  God*.'' 

And  so  it  appears,  that  Chrysostum  was  of  another 
mind  in  this  matter  touching  Paul,  ihan  Mr  Simpson  ; 
and  that  Paul  was  of  another  mind  touching  himself. 

Now  seeing  that  Mr  Simpson  doth  here  insinuate  that 
human  learning  fits  a  man  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel : 
and  seeing  this  also  is  the  opinion  of  all  the  carnal  and 
unbelieving  people,  I  do  desire  them  to  consider,  what 
some  godly  men  have  spoken  clearly  from  the  word  of 
God  in  this  matter. 


*   TuZrec  ee  eivov,   iTrnot)  riv(^   tiKovtrai   Tore   ^piiixfou  w^o?    'EAA;}y« 
locvrSi  xxTccXvovruv.   u  yet,^   to      tov  ^pi<;ixvtv    ^5r-'v   rccvTx  o  EA/sjv  fAeyf , 


53^  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

Chrysostom,  who  knew  the  mystery  of  the  gospel  more 
clearly  than  any  of  the  ancient  writers,  in  his  comment 
on  the  first  epistle  to  the  Cormthians,  doth  wholly  ex- 
clude human  learuingfrom  contributing  any  thing,  either 
to  the  speaking  or  receiving  the  gospel.  "  For,  saith  he, 
'^  to  believe  in  him  that  was  crucified  and  buried,  and  to 
^^  be  fully  persuaded  that  he  rose  again,  and  sits  at  the 
^'^  right  hand  of  God,  and  hath  all  power  in  heaven  and 
^^  earth  given  to  him  ;  and  that  he  is  made  of  God  to  the 
"  whole  church,  wisdom,  rigiiteousness,  sanctificatiou 
"  and  redemption ;  this  doctrine  stands  not  in  need  of 
^^  human  wisdom  and  reasonings,  bnt  of  faith  only  ;  and 
'^•'  that  both  in  them  that  speak  it,  and  in  them  that  re- 
'^  ceive  it.  For  the  apostles  did  not  proceed  in  this  mat- 
^^  ter  in  outward  wisdom,  but  in  faith ;  and  so  became 
^^  more  wise  and  excellent  than  the  worldly  wise  :  and 
^^  so  much  the  more,  as  it  is  a  greater  matter  to  receive 
'^  the  things  of  God  by  faith,  than  to  be  persuaded  into 
^'  them  by  the  force  of  argument*.*' 

He  adds  also,  that,  "To  receiving  the  doctrine  of  the 
^'  gospel,  neither  is  the  wise  man  profited  any  thing  by 
"  his  wisdom,  neither  is  the  plain  man  hindered. any  thing 
"  by  his  ignorance ;  yea,  if  I  may  speak  a  wonderful 
^^  thing,  saith  he,  ignorance  is  more  fit  and  ready  to  re- 
"  ceive  the  gospel,  than  wisdom.  And  a  shepherd,  and 
^'  a  ploughman,  will  sooner  receive  the  gospel,  and  sub- 
"  mit  to  it,  than  a  scholar,  who  lives  in  the  strength  of 
"  human  wisdom  and  reasonf." 

*  K«/  yok^  01  ATToioXoi  »'  (ro(pix  Ts-poa-fiXSov,  «AAas  ^/?«5  »^  yefovxTi  ruv 
t^a  <ro<pSi  <ro<pa>T£poi,   k.  u'^tiXoripoi,   >C  toc-stw  /kkAAov,   iji;  ts  Aoy/«-j«.et'5 

}c;»«»,  TO  ?rJ5«  rot.  m  ©{»  S'ij^t^xi  ftw^ov.     Chrysost.  in  I  Epist.  ad  Qs>- 
rinth.  Horn.  4. 

t  n^05  V«f  TO  S'e^ctSxt  TO  Kipuyfiet  to  ivxyfeXi)cov,  are  o  o-ofi'oi  u<pi>S^ret, 
ri   TToipei  TSJ5   c-o(pix^,    arc   a   iS'iuryj^   lQ>MQii  ri    Trxpot   t>;s    «;tt«fl««{;,    &c 

Idem  ibid. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  535 

He  farther  saith  there,  ^*  that  where  the  wisdom  of 
'^  God  is,  as  it  is  in  the  gospel,  there  is  no  need  of  man's 
"  wisdom ;  as  where  the  sun  is,  there  is  no  need  of  a 
"candle*." 

And  he  concludes  this  matter  thus  :  '^The  preaching 
^*of  the  gospel  is  a  heavenly  thing:  and  human  wisdom 
*•  and  learning  cannot  help  herein,  but  rather  hinder. 
'^  And  therefore  when  Christ  sent  forth  the  first  teachers 
"  of  the  gospel,  he  took  not  wise  and  learned  philoso- 
"  phers,  that  the  cross  of  Christ  might  not  be  made  void, 
'•  and  that  the  faith  of  christi^s  should  not  stand  in  the 
^'  wisdom  of  man,  but  in  the  power  of  God :  But  he 
'^  chose  plain  tishermen,  tent-makers,  publicans,  obscure, 
"  simple,  poor,  contemptible,  ignorant  and  unlearned 
'^men;  and  these  overcame  kings,  princes,  people,  na- 
^^tions,  Greeks,  philosophers,  orators,  sophisters;  they 
'^  overcame  the  ancient  manners,  customs,  and  the  very 
" religion  of  the  world;  also  their  laws,  judgments,  di- 
"  vers  sorts  of  punishments,  and  innumerable  kinds  of 
*•  deaths ;  and  by  all  this,  saith  he,  it  was  manifest,  thai 
"  their  preaching  was  not  in  human  wisdom,  but  in  the 
^^  grace  of  Godt." 

And  thus  doth  Chri/sostom  aflBrm,  and  prove  that  hu- 
man learning  doth  not  fit  men  to  tlie  ministry  of  the  gos- 
pel, but  is  rather  a  hindrance  thereunto;  and  that  the 
grace  of  God  only  fits  them  for  this  heavenly  work. 

Hear  also  what  Wickliff  saith  to  this  matter,  in  his 
book  intitled.  The  path-way  to  perfect  knowledge; 
where  he  sheweth,  that  it  is  not  human  learnins:  that 
helps  to  understand  the  scriptures,  and  to  profit  in  the 
study  of  them,  but  something  more  high  and  heavenlv : 
his  own  words  are  these:  **He  whose  heart  is  full  of 
•  love,  comprehendeth  without  any  error,   the  manifold 

*  "Ova  iro<pix  ©£«,  HyAti  X^'^ot,  iiihuTcUy,^.      ChlTSOSt. 


036  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

"abundance,  and  largest  teaching  of  God's  scripture  : 
^^  For  Paul  saith,  the  fulness  of  the  law  is  charity;  and 
^'^iti  another  place,  the  end  of  the  hue  is  charitij,  of  a  clean 
^^  heart,  and  good  conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeigned:  And 
"  Christ  saith,  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God,  with 
^^  all  thy  heart,  and  ivith  all  thy  soul,  and  unth  all  thy 
^*  mind,  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself:  For  on  these  two 
'^  commandments  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets:  And, 
^^  as  the  root  of  all  evil  is  covetousness,  so  the  root  of  all 
"  good  is  love/' 

^^  Charity,  by  which  wtf  love  God,  and  our  neighbour, 
^^lioldeth  surely  all  the  greatness  and  largeness  of  God's 
^^  speeches.  Therefore,  if  we  have  not  leisure  to  search 
*^  all  the  holy  scriptures,  and  to  pierce  into  all  the  privi- 
^^  ties  of  them ;  hold  thou  love,  whereon  all  things  hang, 
^^  and  so  shalt  thou  hold  that  which  thou  learnest  there, 
"  and  also  that  which  thou  learnest  not.  For  if  thou 
^^  know  charity,  tliou  knowest  something,  whereon  also 
^^  that  hangeth  which  thou  knowest  not.  And  in  that 
"  that  thou  understandest  in  scripture,  love  is  open ;  and 
^^  in  that  that  thou  understandest  not,  love  is  hid.  There- 
^'  fore,  he  that  holdeth  love  in  virtues  of  good  life,  hold- 
^'eth  both  that  which  is  open,  and  that  which  is  hid  in 
"God's  word." 

And  after  speaking  to  the  clergy,  he  saith,  "There- 
^^  fore,  worldly,  fools,  do  ye  fii'st  repent  of  your  sins,  and 
^^  forsake  pride  and  covetousness,  and  be  ye  meek,  and 
"  fear  ye  God  in  all  things,  and  love  your  neighbour  as 
^^  yourselves,  and  then  shall  ye  profit  in  the  study  of  holy 
"  writ.  And  this  is  a  far  better  way  to  understand  the 
"scriptures,  than  by  human  learning." 

And  after,  speaking  of  the  abominations  of  the  uni- 
versity of  Oxford,  he  saith  thus,  "  The  fourth  abomina- 
*'  tion,  is,  that  it  is  now  proposed  to  hinder  christian  men 
^^  from  learning  freely  God's  law,  till  they  have  spent 
"  nine  or  ten  years  at  art,  or  philosophy,  which  compre- 


► 


MR   S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  537 

•'•  lieiideth  many  strong  errors  of  lieatlien  men,  against 
•^  the  christian  helief.  It  seemeth  well  that  God  will 
'*  not  cease  from  vengeance,  till  it  and  other  things  be 
'^  punished  sore.  For  it  seemeth  that  worldly  clerks,  and 
^'  feignedly  religious,  do  this  under  pretence,  that  simple 
•'•  men  of-*vit  and  knowledge,  know  not  God's  law,  to 
"  preach  it  generally  against  sins  in  the  realm.  Bat  wit 
"'^  ye,  worldly  clerks,  and  feignedly  religious,  that  God 
"  both  can,  and  may,  if  it  liketh  him,  speed  simple  men, 
"  out  of  the  university,  as  much  to  know  the  holy  scrip- 
"  tures,  as  masters  in  the  university.  Wherefore,  lie  saith, 
^^  it  is  no  great  matter,  thougli  men  of  good  will,  be  not 
*^  poisoned  with  heathen  men's  error  nine  or  ten  years 
"  together  :  But  let  tliem  live  well,  and  study  the  holy 
**  scriptures,  and-  preach  truly  and  freely  against  open 
'^  sins  till  death.''  Thus  he.  Whereby  he  declares  that  the 
scriptures  are  not  to  be  understood  by  human  learning, 
but  by  faith  and  love  :  And  that  human  learning  doth  not 
prepare  men  to  the  knowledge  of  the  word,  but  rather 
corrupt  them  with  heathen  men's  errors. 

Tindal  also,  that  apostle  of  England^  as  Fox  calletli 
him,  and  blessed  martyr,  speaks  thus  to  this  matter ; 
^'  They  will  say  yet  more  shamefully  (meaning  the  cler- 
^•'  gy)  that  no  man  can  understand  the  scriptures  without 
'^  philautia,  that  is  to  say,  philosophy  :  A  man  must  first 
••'  be  well  seen  in  Aristotle,  ere  he  can  understand  the 
^*  scripture,  say  they.  Now,  saith  he,  Jlristotle*s  doc- 
•^  trine  is,  that  the  world  was  without  beginning,  and  shall 
••  be  without  end,  and  that  the  first  man  never  was,  and 
•'  the  last  never  shall  be  :  And  that  God  doth  all  of  ne- 
^*  cessity,  neither  careth  he  what  we  do.  Without  this 
"  doctrine,  saith  he,  ironically,  how  could  Ave  under- 
•'  stand  the  scripture,  that  saith,  God  created  the  icorld. 
''  of  nought,  and  God  worketh  all  things  of  his  free  will, 
^*  and  for  a  secret  purpose  ;  and  that  we  shall  rise  again; 

3Y 


538  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

^^  and  God  iinll  have  accounts  of  all  that  we  have  done  in 
^' this  lifer 

Aristotle  saith,  "  Grive  a  man  a  law,  and  he  hath  power 
^^  of  himself  to  do  or  fulfil  the  law,  and  becometh  righte- 
"  ous  with  working  righteously."  But  Paul  and  the 
saripture  saith,  That  the  law  doth  but  utter  sin  only,  and 
lielpeth  not ;  neither  hath  any  man  power  to  do  the  law, 
till  the  Spirit  of  God  be  given  him  through  faith  in 
Christ.  Is  it  not  a  madness  then  to  say  that  we  could  not 
understand  the  scripture  without  Aristotle  P  Moreover, 
Aristotle^s  felicity  and  blessedness  standeth  in  avoiding 
all  tribulations,  and  in  riches,  health,  honour,  worship, 
friends,  and  authority,  which  felicity  pleaseth  our  spirit- 
uality well.  Now  without  these,  and  a  thousand  such 
like  points,  could st  thou  not  understand  scripture,  which 
saith,  that  righteousness  cometh  by  Christ  and  not  of 
man^s  will  P  And  that  virtues  are  the  fruits  and  gifts  of 
God's  Spirit,  and  that  Christ  blesseth  us  in  tribulations, 
persecution  and  adversity.  How,  I  say,  couldst  thou  un- 
derstand the  scriptures  without  philosophy,  inas^much  as 
Paul,  Col.  ii.  warned  them  to  beware  lest  any  man  spoil 
them,  that  is  to  say,  rob  them  of  their  faith  in  Christ, 
through  philosophy  and  deceitful  vanities,  and  through 
the  traditions  of  men,  and  ordinances  after  the  icorld,  and 
not  after  Christ  ? — And  after ; — But  now,  ye  drive  them 
from  God's  word,  and  will  let  no  man  come  thereto,  until 
he  have  been  two  years  master  of  art.  First  they  nuzzle 
them  in  sophistry,  ^  in  bene  fundaturn  ;  and  there  cor- 
rupt they  their  judgments  with  apparent  arguments,  and 
with  alledging  to  them  texts  of  logic,  of  natural  phi- 
losophy, of  metaphysic,  and  moral  philosophy,  and  of 
all  manner  of  books  of  Aristotle^  and  of  all  manner  of 
doctors,  which  yet  they  never  saw,''  &e. 

Again,  Huldricus  Zuiriglius  speaks  thus  to  this  mat- 
ter :  "  We  must  needs  be  taught  of  God,  and  not  of  men, 
"  to  wit,  in  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel ;  for  this  is  the 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  539 

"  Staying  of  the  eternal  truth,  which  knows  not  how  to  lie, 
"  John  vi.  But  and  if  you  do  not  firmly  believe  that  you 
"  may  be  taught  of  God,  human  doctrines  being  utterly 
*^  rejected,  ye  are  yet  destitute  of  true  faith.  Neither  have 
"  I  myself  devised  this  thing ;  Hilary  also  is  of  this 
*^  opinion  ;  but  there  is  no  need  of  his  Testimony,  when 
•^  we  hear  that  both  Christ,  and  all  the  apostles  were  of 
**  the  same  mind.  And  here  the  whole  use  of  school-di- 
**  vinity  falls  to  the  ground,  and  whatsoever  is  drawn  out 
'^  of  the  philosophers.  For  all  these  things  do  leau  on  hu- 
^^  man  reasons,  which  when  they  have  once  possessed  a 
^'  man'smind,  hethen  thinks  that  the  heavenly  doctrine  is 
^^  wholly  to  be  directed  and  framed  according  to  the  rule 
*'  of  human  learning,  which  he  judges  to  be  most  firm 
•^^  and  infallible.  Which  thing  they  sufficiently  discover 
^•'  in  their  words,  saying,  ubi  cessat  philosophus,  illi 
*•  cincipit  theologus,  "  where  the  philosopher  ceases, 
'^  there  the  divine  begins  ;*'  whereby  they  signify  thus 
*"•'  much,  that  he  is  able  to  judge  most  rightly  in  divine 
*•  things,  who  comes  most  furnished  with  human  learn- 
*•  ing.  As  if  so  be  the  light  of  our  will  were  more  excel- 
••  lent,  and  more  perspicuous  than  the  divine  glory : 
'*  when  yet  we  hear  Christ  saying,  1  receive  not  glory  of 
*'  men  ;  hut  Iknow  you,  that  you  have  not  the  love  of 
•^  God  in  you,  John  v.  For  they  who  have  the  love  of 
••  God,  cleave  to  no  word  so  constantly,  as  to  the  word 
*'  of  God  ;  seeing  this  is  the  light  that  enlightens  every 
••  man  that  comes  into  the  world.  But  no  man  is  able  to 
••  prove  that  philosophy  is  such  a  light.  For  which  of 
»•'  the  philosophers  instructed  the  apostles  ?  those  simple, 
•'  and  in  the  judgment  of  the  world,  those  foolish  men, 
'^  unskilful,  and  unlearned  fishermen,  were  elected  and 
''  instituted  of  God,  and  then  were  sent  forth  to  preach, 
"  that  they  might  become  the  masters  and  teachers  of 
"  the  whole  world  :  to  wit,  that  God,  according  to  the 
•'  saying  of  Paul,  might  make  ashamed  all  the  strength 


&40         ■  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

'^  of  the  world,  and  all  the  iclsdom  of  the  worlds- ^  Thus 
^•he.  . 

Luther  also  saith,  ^^  It  is  an  error  to  say,  that  a  man 
^'  cannot  be  a  divine,  but  through  Aristotle ;  nay,  saith 
"  he,  a  man  cannot  be  a  divine,  except  he  become  one 
'\  without  Jlristotle.-^  And  again,  "  A  man  becomes  a 
^'  divine  by  living,  yea  by  dying,  and  by  being  damned, 
"  to  wit,  in  his  own  sense,  not  by  studying,  reading,  or 
^^  speculating."  And  again,  "  In  holy  things  we  must 
"^  not  dispute  or  play  the  philosophers  ;  but  in  divinity 
^'  we  must  only  hear  and  believe,  and  resolve  in  our 
•^  heart  tbat  God  is  true,  thougli  the  things  he  speaks  in 
^'  his  word,  seem  never  so  absurd  to  reason."  And 
^^  again,  "  We  shall  then  do  well,  if  we,  leaving  logick 
"  or  philosopiiy  in  their  own  sphere,  do  learn  to  speak 
"  with  new  tongues  in  tiie  kingdom  of  faith,  without 
*^  all  sphere.  For  the  affection  of  faith  is  to  be  exercis- 
"  ed  in  the  kingdom  of  faith,  and  not  a  philosophical  un- 
"  derstandingf ." 

And  thus  these  godly  men  iield  forth,  and  proved  from 
the  word,  that  human  leaVning  is  rather  a  hindrance  than 
a  help  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  and  doth  rather  un- 
fit than  fit  men  for  it:  and  that  the  grace  and  teaching  of 
God  only,  prepares  and  enables  men  to  this  divine  w  ork, 
and  no  human  thing  at  all. 

Wlierefore  let  all  true  christians  be  advised,  that  human 

*  Zuingl.  libr.  de  certitudine  Ist  verifate  ver.  Dei.  Qoiid  si  non  firmiter 
creditis,  vos,  liumanis  doctrinis  dcsertis,  .divinitus  doceri  posse,  vera  fide 
eliamniim  vacui  estis.  Cadit  hie  theologize  scholasticx  usus  universus,  & 
quicqiiid  ex  pliilosophis  baustum  est. 

■j-  Error  est  dicere,  sine  Aristotele  non  fit  theologus  ;  imo  theologus  non  fit  nisi 
lAfiAi  sin^Jlristotele.  Tom\.fol.  10.  Vivendo,  imo  moriendo  &  damnanilo  fit 
theologus,  non  intelligendo,  legendo  aut  speculando.  Lutli.  turn.  2.fnl.  57.  In 
sa  cris  rebus  non  est,  disputandum  aut  philosophandum  :  in  theoiogia  tantum 
est  audiendum  8i  crcdenduni,  &  statuendum  in  corde,  Dens  est  verax,  8;c.  Itectius 
fecerimus  si  dialeclica  seu  philosophla  in  sua  spliacra  reliclis,  discamus  loqui 
novis  lintcnis  in  regno  fidei,  extra  omnem  sphDeram.  AftecUis  fidei  exerceiidus 
£st  in  articulis.fidei,  non  iiitellectus  philosopliicus.    Luther. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  541 

learning  is  so  fav  from  fitting  men  for  the  gospel,  and  the 
ministry  tliereof,  as  is  suggested,  that  indeed  there  is 
nothing  in  greater  enmity  to  Christ  crucified,  nor  more 
contrary  to  the  Wbvd  of  the  cross,  than  that ;  yea,  no- 
thing in  all  the  world  hath  been  such  an  introducer, 
favourer,  supporter,  and  inlarger  of  antichrist's  kingdom, 
as  human  reason,  learning,  and  philosophy  ;  this  hath 
brought  in  all  the  hypocracy,  superstition,  false  doctrine, 
false  worship,  sects,  schisms,  divisions,  which  have  at 
any  time  prevailed  in  the  church,  during  all  the  reign 
of  antichrist :  and  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  the  true 
belief  and  practice  of  it,  hath  not  had,  at  any  time,  a 
greater  and  more  subtil,  and  plausible  enemy  than  this. 
Yea  farther,  the  gross  ignorance  and  blindness  of  the 
rude  world,  hath  not  so  perverted  and  falsified  the  word 
of  the  gospel,  nor  rendered  it  such  contradiction  and 
resistance,  nor  hath  it  brought  such  annoyance  to  the 
faithful,  who  have  received  and  confessed  it,  as  human 
science  hath  done ;  for  this  hath  enabled  men  stoutly  to 
oppose  the  truth,  and  subtilly  to  defend  error  as  the 
truth  ;  this  hath  made  men  bold  and  cunning  to  suppress 
God's  mind  from  the  world,  and  to  hold  forth  their  own 
mind  to  them,  as  if  it  were  God's,  under  the  pretence  of 
the  outward  letter  of  the  word  ;  and  a  multitude  of  other 
evils  have  sprung  from  this  corrupt  fountain.  Where- 
fore the  apostle  Paul  is  so  far  from  encouraging  chris- 
tians to  betake  themselves  to  human  learning  to  fit  them 
for  the  gospel,  that  he,  by  the  spirit,  utterly  forbids 
christians  heathenish  philosophy,  U^st  they  should  be 
spoiled  through  the  vanity  of  it,  and  be  led  away  from 
Christ.  And  thus,  in  this  matter,  hath  Mr  Simpson 
manifestly  departed  from  the  doctrine  of  the  scriptures, 
and  of  faithful  men  who  have  spoken  from  it. 
5.  ERROR 
That  mens  hatred  to  God  doth  as  well  appear  in  their 
hatred  to  human  learning,  as  if  they  hated  the  scriptureSc 


543t  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

Answer.  I  conceive  Mr  Simpson's  heart  was  liot  with- 
in him,  out  of  his  great  zeal  to  human  learning,  the  great 
godtless  by  which  the  university  lives,  when  he  thus 
spake ;  and  it  appears,  he  is  very  teAder  of  the  reputa- 
tion and  glory  of  it,  who  thus  vindicates  it,  at  as  high  a 
rate  as  the  scriptures.  But  sir,  do  you  know  no  more 
difference  between  the  most  precious  word  of  our  eternal 
Lord  God,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  and  the  foolish, 
corrupt,  and  stinking  doctrine  of  men  ?  is  there  no  more 
difference  in  your  divinity,  between  the  word  of  righte- 
ousness, life,  and  salvation,  which  God  hath  spoken  by 
Christ,  and  Christ  by  his  servants ;  and  the  word  and 
doctrines  of  wretched  men,  full  of  sin,  death,  and  de- 
struction ?  and  if  the  law  itself,  given  by  the  ministra- 
tion of  angels,  loseth  its  glory  before  the  gospel,  as  the 
apostle  testifies ;  how  much  more  doth  heathenish  philo- 
sophy, brought  forth,  partly  from  the  corrupt  reason  of 
man,  and  partly  from  the  inspiration  of  the  devil,  become 
loathsome  and  abominable  before  it,  for  ever  !  and  cannot 
we  be  enemies  to  this,  say  you,  without  hating  the  bles- 
sed word  of  God  ?  nay,  the  blessed  word  of  God,  where 
it  prevails  in  truth,  doth  make  men  to  hate  this,  and  to 
count  it  loss,  and  dung,  and  filth,  and  the  most  loath- 
some  baseness  in  the  world,  in  comparison  of  itself. 
Wherefore,  through  tiie  grace  of  Christ,  we  will  so  love 
the  scriptures,  which  are  divine  learning,  as  to  hate  hu- 
man and  heathenish  learning  for  their  sakes,  seeing  it 
hath  put  a  veil  of  darkness  in  the  church,  over  this  glo- 
rious sun,  the  word  of  faith. 

6.  ERROR. 

That  if  the  spirit  teach  without  means,  men  may  as 
well  be  without  the  ordinances,  as  without  the  universi- 
ties and  human  learning. 

Jlnswer.  We  do  not  say,  that  the  spirit  usually  teacheth 
without  means  in  the  church  of  Christ;  but  we  say,  he 
teacheth  by  means  of  his  own  appointing ;  and  how  will 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  543 

Mr  Simpson  prove,  by  any  scripture,  that  universities 
and  human  learning  are  means  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
useth  to  teach  his  church  by?  Where  did  ever  the  Lord 
speak  one  word,  that  he  would  use  the  disciplines  of  the 
Gentiles,  as  means  whereby  to  teach  men  to  know  the 
mystery  of  Christ?  Wherefore  this  is  strange  doctrine, 
that  arts  and  sciences  are  the  means  whereby  the  Spirit 
teacheth  the  church  :  For  sure  I  am,  the  Lord  never 
taught  his  church,  either  of  the  Old,  or  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, by  these  means.  Only  antichrist  hath  taught  his 
church  after  this  manner,  and  hath  set  up  human  learn- 
ing as  an  ordinance  of  God,  yea,  as  an  ordinance  of  the 
New  Testament  to  learn  Christ  by;  that  christians  might 
be  trained  up  to  know  Christ  the  wisdom  of  God,  by  hu- 
man learning,  the  wisdom  of  the  world,  which -is  in  di- 
rect enmity  to  God. 

The  chief  ordinances  w  hereby  God  helps  his  church, 
are  the  w^ord  of  faith,  and  the  prayer  of  faith ;  and  ])y  the 
ministration  of  the  Spirit,  he  begins  and  carries  on  the 
salvation  of  his  spiritual  people  :  And  these  ordinances, 
the  true  church  cannot  want,  neither  doth  God  do  any 
thing  in  his  church  without  them.  But  the  spiritual 
church,  for  ought  that  I  could  ever  yet  read  in  the  w  ord, 
may  well-want  their  divine  ordinance  of  human  learning, 
and  yet  not  want  any  ordinance  of  God,  that  he  hath  ap- 
pointed and  sanctified  for  the  use  of  his  true  church. 
7.  ERROR. 

That  men  now,  are  not  to  receive  the  Spirit,  in  that 
immediate  way  to  understand  the  Scriptures,  in  which  it 
was  given  to  them  who  wrote  the  scriptures. 

Answer.  Surely  Mr  Simjjson  will  not  deny,  that  the 
Spirit  is  given  to  that  whole  church  w  hich  is  the  body  of 
Christ;  seeing  Paul  saith.  If  any  man  have  not  Vhrisfif 
Sjnrit,  he  is  none  of  his,  he  is  no  member  of  his.  Now 
the  Spirit  is  always  given  to  whomsoever  it  is  given,  by 
the  Father  and  the  Son,  as  Christ  taught  hi*  disciples. 


544  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

promising  them  that  the  Father  icould  send  the  Spirit  to 
them  in  his  name;  and  also  that  he  himself  would  send 
it  to  them  from  the  Father.  And  was  this  promise  only 
made  to  them,  and  not  to  all  the  faithful  also,  who  should 
believe  in  Christ,  through  their  word  ?  Doth  not  Paul 
say,  Rom.  xii.  13.  of  the  whole  church,  that  by  one  Spi- 
rit we  are  all  baptized  into  one  body,  and  are  all  made 
to  drink  into  one  Spirit?  He  saith  also  to  the  Galatians, 
chap.  iv.  Because  ye  are  sons^  God  hath  sent  the  Spirit 
of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba  Father.  And 
thus  it  is  manifest,  that  the  whole  church  of  believers, 
and  every  true  member  thereof,  do  receive  the  Spirit  of 
God.  And  do  they  not  receive  it  alike  immediately  from 
God?  Who  can  give  the  Spirit  of  God  to  man,  but  God 
himself?  When  God  promised  to  pour  out  his  Spirit,  in 
the  last  days,  upon  all  flesh,  did  he  name  any  difference 
in  the  pouring  of  it  out,-  saying,  some  shall  receive  it 
immediately,  and  some  mediately  ?  No,  but  all  that  are 
counted  worthy  to  receive  the  Spirit  of  God,  do  receive 
it  alike  immediately  from  him;  neither  hath  Christ  left 
any  lieutenant  or  deputy  in  the  world,  to  give  his  Spirit 
to  men  in  his  absence  :  But  he  himself  is  always  present 
in  his  true  church,  to  the  end  of  the  world,  both  to  teach 
them,  and  to  give  them  h'u  Spirit.  He  is  too  mnch  in  the 
darkness  of  antichrist,  that  denies  this. 

It  is  manifest  then,  that  all  the  true  church  do  alike 
receive  the  Spirit  of  God ;  and  that  they  all  receive  it 
alike  immediately  from  God,  seeing  no  man  nor  angel 
can  give  the  Spirit  of  God,  but  God  himself  gives  his 
own  Spirit  to  whom  he  pleases;  by  his  own  word,  which 
he  liimself  ministers  by  liis  own  Spirit;  and  by  this  Spi- 
rit did  holy  men  speak  the  scripture;  and  by  this  Spirit 
only,  do  holy  men  of  God  understand  the  scripture,  as 
Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  ii.  13.  JVow  we  have  received,  not  the 
spirit  of  the  world,  but  the  Spirit  ichich  is  of  God,  that 
we  might  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of 


3IR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  545 

(ilod;  among  wliichj  his  word  hath  a  chief  place  :  aud  af- 
ter saith^  that  by  the  Spirit  they  had  the  mind  of  Christ, 
whicli  others  want,  who  yet  have  the  same  letter  of 
the  word,  and  are  destitute  of  the  Spirit.  And  so  as 
the  faithful  spake  the  word  by  the  Spirit  of  faith,  so, 
through  the  same  Spirit  of  faith  only,  so  given,  do  the 
faithful  understand  it. 

And  though  this  thing  be  clear  in  itself,  yet  I  judge  it 
convenient  to  add  here  the  testimonies  o^  Luther  and  Cal- 
vin in  this  matter.  Luther  saith,  '•  The  scriptures  are 
'^  not  to  be  understood,  but  by  that  very  Spirit  by  which 
''  they  were  written  ;  which  Spirit  can  be  no  where  found 
"  more  readily  and  eflectually,  than  in  those  holy  letters 
^*  of  his,  which  he  hath  written. 

And  Calvin  saith,  "  The  same  Spirit  that  spake  by 
"  the  mouth  of  the  prophets,  it  is  necessary  that  that 
^^  should  pierce  into  our  hearts,  to  persuade  us,  that  they 
^'  faithfully  delivered  that  which  was  committed  to  them 
''  of  God  ;  so  that  we  must  necessarily  have  the  same 
^'  Spirit,  to  know  his  mind,  that  they  had  to  utter  his 
*^  mind*."  Wherefore  it  is  evident,  that  Mr  Simpson  is 
not  orthodox  in  this  point  neither. 
8.  EKROR. 

That  men  now  are  to  get  knowledge,  to  wit,  of  the 
scripture,  by  studies,  and  human  learning,  and  not  by  in- 
spiration. 

tRnsicer.  This  doctrine  carries  the  visible  mark  of  an- 
tichrist upon  it ;  for  it  is  only  the  inspiration  of  God  that 
enables  a  man  to  know  the  things  of  God,  aud  not  a  man's 
study  or  human  learning  :  It  is  not  in  this  case,  in  him 
that  wills  and  runs,  hut  in  God  that  shews  mercy.  Where- 

*  Scripturae  non  nisi  eo  Spiritu  intelligently  sunt,  quo  scriptae  sunt :  qui 
Spiritus  nusquann  prsesentius  et  vivaclus  quam  in  ipsis  sacris  suis  quas  scripsit 
Uteris,  inveniri  potest.  Luth.  torn.  2.  fol.  309.  a. 

Idem  Spiritus  qui  per  os  prophetarum  locutus  est,  in  corda  nostra  penetret 
necesse  est :  ut  persuadeat  fideliter  protulisse  quod  divinitus  erat  mandatum, 
Calo.  Institut.lib.  1.  cap.^.  §.4. 

3  Z 


046  THE  CONFUTATION  OF  __^ 

fore  Christ  hath  said,  JVo  man  Tcnoiis  the  Son,  but  tlie 
Father,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Father  will  reveal  him. 
"Wherefore  Paul  prays  for  the  Ephesians,  that  God 
ivould  s;ive  them  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  in 
the  knowledge  of  Christ :  without  which  Spirit  of  reve- 
lation, Christ  and  the  Father  can  never  be  known.  What 
can  human  learnini:;,  and  the  studies  of  men,  find  out  of 
the  mystery  of  Christ,  which  was  hidden  from  ages  and 
generations,  as.  Pait/ testifies,  till  the  Spirit  revealed  it? 
Yea,  Christ  hath  taught,  that  God  hides  these  things  of 
the  gospel  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  tliat  is,  the  study- 
ing and  learned  men,  and  reveals  them  to  babes  ;  and 
that  this  is  his  good  pleasure  so  to  do.  And  so  no 
man  can  know  Christ  and  his  gospel,  and  what  is  the 
faith,  hope,  and  love  of  the  gospel,  but  by  the  most  pre- 
sent teaching  and  revelation  of  God  himself,  by  his  Spirit. 
Wherefore  to  deny  the  inspiration  of  God's  Spirit  now, 
and  to  ascribe  all  knowledge  of  the  word  of  God  to  mens 
studies,  and  to  human  learning,  is  the  most  gross  and 
palpable  doctrine  of  antichrist  and  his  prophets  ;  where- 
as, all  the  people  of  God  are  taught  of  God  himself,  in 
all  the  things  of  God,  as  Christ  hath  said  ;  because  no 
man,  by  his  own  studies  and  pains,  can  attain  thereunto. 
And  in  this  matter,  I  shall  also  add  the  testimonies  of 
Luther  and  Latimer.  Luther  saith,  ^*  No  man  sees  one 
^^  jot  or  tittle  in  the  scriptures,  but  he  that  hath  the  Spi- 
^'  rit  of  God  :  For  all  men  have  a  darkened  heart,  in 
^^  such  sort,  that  if  they  could  speak,  and  knew  how  to 
^^  bring  forth  all  things  of  the  scripture,  yet  have  they 
^^  not  any  true  sense,  or  right  knowledge  of  them.  For, 
"  saith  he,  the  Spirit  is  required  to  the  understanding  of 
^^  the  whole  scripture,  and  of  every  part  thereof*.-' 

•  Nullus  homo  unutn  iota  in  scripturis  videt,  nisi  qui  Spiritutn  Dei  habet: 
omnes  habent  obscuratum  cor,  ita  ut  si  etiam  dicant  &  norint  proferre  omnia 
scripture,  nihil  tamen  horum  sentiant  aut  vere  cognoscant,  8;c.  Spiritus  enim 
requiriturad  tolam  scripturam  &  quamlibet  ejus  partem  intelligendom.  Lvth. 
torn.  3.  fol.  169.  a. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  M7 

And  Latimer  saith,  "  The  carnal  and  pLilosopbical 
••'understanding  of  the  scriptures,  is  not  that  wisdom  of 
*'*  God  which  is  hid  from  the  wise,  and  revealed  to  little 
-'  ones*.'^ 

9.  ERROK. 

That  human  learning  is  as  the  out-works  to  the  fort  of 
the  gospel,  and  as  the  outer  court  to  the  tempel  of  the 
gospel ;  and  so,  if  you  will  keep  the  fort  well,  you  must 
keep  the  out-works  strong ;  and  if  you  will  preserve  the 
inner,  you  must  look  to  the  outer  court. 

Answer.  How  higlily  hath  Mr  Simpson  honoured  So- 
crates^ Pythagoras,  Plato  and  Aristotle,  &c.  to  make 
them  a  strong  guard  for  the  person  of  Christ !  And  how 
highly  hath  he  honoured  their  learning,  to  make  it  a  de- 
fence for  the  gospel !  And  how  weak  and  feeble  hath  he 
sought  to  render  the  word  of  faith,  that  must  be  thus  de- 
fended by  the  arts  and  disciplines  of  men,  as  not  being 
able  to  stand  alone,  and  defend  itself?  Doth  this  man 
truly  believe  in  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  who  makes 
him  such  an  helpless  idol  ?  or  doth  he  believe  the  word 
of  the  gospel,  which  hath  given  eyes  to  the  blind,  and. 
ears  to  the  deaf,  and  feet  to  the  lame  ;  which  hath  raised 
the  dead,  and  cast  out  devils,  and  commanded  the  winds 
and  waves,  and  they  have  obeyed  ?  I  say,  doth  he  be- 
lieve this  word  to  be  of  God,  which  hath  done  the  very 
works  of  God,  and  yet  openly  affirms  to  the  world,  that 
it  cannot  maintain  itself,  or  subsist  without  the  help  of 
philosophy  ?  Is  that  word,  which  mightily  and  perfectly 
saves  all  the  elect,  and  that  in  dispight  of  the  world  and 
the  devil,  and  the  gates  of  hell,  not  able  to  save  itself 
without  human  help  ?  Must  that  word  be  secured  by 
Aristotle,  which  delivers  all  the  elect  from  sin,  deaths 
and  hell  for  ever  ?  Are  grammar,  rhetoric,  logic,  ethics^ 

•  Carnalis  8c  philosophlca  scripturarum  intelligentia  non  est  sapientia  Dei 
quae  a  sapientibus  absconditur,  parvulis  revelatur.  Latimer  in  his  ansiver  to 
Sir  Edward  Baintan's  Utter, 


d48  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

physics,  Dietaphysics,  mathematics,  the  weapons  where- 
by we  must  defend  the  gospel  ?  Is  Mr  Simpson  so  ill  a 
proficient  in  Christianity,  that  he  hath  not  read,  or  doth 
not  remember  that  of  Paul,  EpJies.  vi.  IS.  where  he  saith, 
fVe  wrestle  not  against  jiesh  and  blood,  but  against  prin- 
cipalities, against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the 
darkness  of  this  world,  against  spiritual  tvickedness  in 
Jdgh  places. 

Wherefore  take  unto  you  the  whole  armour  of  God, 
that  you  may  be  able  to  withstand  in  the  evil  deny  ;  and 
having  done  all,  to  stand. 

Stand  therefore,  having  your  loins  girt  about  with  truthp 
and  having  on  the  breast-pilate  of  righteousness  ; 

Jlnd  your  feet  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  gospel 
of  peace. 

Move  all,  taking  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall 
be  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked, 

And  take  the  helmet  of  salvation,  and  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  which  is  the  ivord  of  God, 

Praying  alicays,  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in 
the  Spirit,  and  tvatching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance. 

Here  now  are  the  true  christian's  weapons,  whereby 
he  defends  himself  through  the  word,  and  defends  the 
word  against  all  the  world. 

And  the  same  Paul,  in  2  Cor.  x.  3.  saith, 

For  though  we  walk  in  the  flesh,,  we  do  not  ivar  after 
the  flesh. 

Por  the  iveapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  biit 
mighty  through  God,  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong 
holds  : 

Casting  doion  imaginations,  and  every  high  thing  that 
exalteth  itself  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bring- 
ing into  captivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ: 

And  having  in  readiness  to  revenge  all  disobedience. 

So  that  the  faithful  do  not  defend  the  gospel  by  philo- 
sophy, as  is  heathenishly  suggested  5  but  by  the  gospel, 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  549 

they  defend  the  gospel:  and  the  gospel  hath,  in  itself, that 
wisdom,  righteousness,  strength,  and  those  virtues  whicli 
are  infiuitely  able  to  defend  itself  against  all  the  world,  and 
against  all  the  powers  of  darkness.  And  how  contrary  is 
this  doctrine  to  Mr  Simpson''s  ?  And  thus  much  for  his 
out-works  to  the  gospel. 

Now  for  his  outer  court  to  the  gospel :  I  know  no  other 
outer  court  the  gospel  ever  had,  than  the  law  of  AJoses, 
which  law  was  the  preparation  to  the  gospel,  and  the 
school-master  to  bring  us  unto  Christ,  which  human 
learning  never  was:  but  human  learning  is  the  outer 
court  to  antichrist's  temple,  it  is  the  seliool-master  to 
bring  men  to  antichrist.  And  thus  would  Mr  Simpson 
also  turn  the  law  out  of  its  place,  and  set  up  human  learn- 
ing in  the  stead  of  the  law,  and  so  would  make  void  both 
law  and  gospel  for  human  learning's  sake  :  Surely,  one 
would  think  he  hath  some  considerable  advantage  there- 
by, that  he  thus  fences  for  it. 

10.  ERROR. 

But  what  is  the  bottom,  saith  he,  of  all  this,  that  is, 
of  some  mens  appearing  against  human  learning,  as  the 
unction  of  the  ministry,  and  against  the  universities,  as 
the  fountain  of  the  ministry,  but  this,  that  some  say,  they 
are  one  with  Christ;  and  as  Christ  hath  the  divine  na- 
ture in  him,  so  every  believer  also  hath:  and  he  that 
hath  God  in  him,  need  not  go  to  any  man  to  learn? 
whereas,  John  xvii.  Christ  speaketh  of  believers  as  at  an 
infinite  distance  from  himself;  he  their  lord,  they  his 
servants.  He  in  glory,  they  in  the  world.  And  if  they 
be  so  united  to  Christ,  then  it  will  follow,  that  Christ  is 
not  the  only  begotten  son  of  God ;  and  that  Christ  and 
we  should  be  equal,  and  he  not  our  Lord,  &,c. 

ilnswer.  Now  doth  not  all  this  declare  a  most  >voeful 
ignorance  of,  and  enmity  to  the  gospel  of  God  our  Sa- 
viour? for  is  our  union  with  Christ  the  foundation  of  er- 
ror? or  have  true  believers  no  real  union  with  Christ, 


550  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

but  imaginary?  do  not  the  saints  partake  of  the  divine 
nature?  doth  not  Peter  expressly  aflRrm  it,  2  Pet,  \.  iv. 
whifeA'e  he  saith,  exceedin:^  great  and  precious  j^romises 
are  made  to  us,  that  ive  thereby  should  be  made  fartaners 
of  the  divine  nature  !  and  what  is  the  divine  nature,  but 
the  very  nature  of  God  ?  see  Luther  on  tlie  place. 

Again,  are  believers,  as  he  affirms,  at  an  infinite  dis- 
tance from  Christ?  if  this  were  true,  what  sad  news 
would  it  be  to  the  church  of  God  ?  How  can  this  doc- 
trine agree  with  these  scriptures  ?  that  Christ  may  dwell 
in  your  hearts  by  faith  ;  and,  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of 
glory  ;  and,  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus  :  x^gain,  saith 
Christ,  lam  the  true  vine,  and  ye  are  the  branches:  and 
so,  as  the  vine  is  in  the  branches,  and  the  branches  are 
in  the  vine,  so  is  Christ  in  christians,  and  so  are  chris- 
tians in  Christ.  Again,  John  xiv.  20.  *M  that  day  ye  shall 
know,  saith  Christ  himself,  that  you  need  not  doubt  of 
the  doctrine,  that  1  am  in  my  father,  and  you  in  me,  and 
I  in  you:  And  again,  John  xvii.  21.  saith  Christ,  I 
pray  not  for  these  alone  ;  that  is,  who  now  believe  ;  but 
also  for  all  that  shall  hereafter  believe  in  me,  through 
their  word,  that  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou,  father,  art 
in  me,  and  I  in  thee  ;  that  they  may  be  one,  as  we  are 
one :  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made 
perfect  in  one;  that  the  world  may  know  thou  hast  sent 
me,  and  hast  loved  them  as  thou  hast  loved  me.  Here 
now  is  no  infinite  distance  between  Christ  and  believers, 
but  a  wonderful  and  admirable  nearness  and  oneness : 
which  the  learned  ignorance  of  philosophy  understands 
not,  nor  the  ignorant  knowledge  of  any  carnal  christian. 

But  sure,  this  word  of  God  is  true,  and  the  saints  re- 
ceive it  in  faith,  and  will  not  be  deluded  with  any  phi- 
losophical, sophistical,  or  antichristian  glosses  or  false 
teachers. 

And  thus  dolli  the  holy  word  of  God  affirm  plainly 
enough,  that  Christ  and  his  christians  are  most  nearly 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  551 

united  ;  and  yet  doth  not  this  union  make  an  equality,  and 
rob  Christ  of  his  due  glory,  seeing  Christ  is  the  head, 
and  they  his  members;  Christ  the  first  born,  and  they 
his  brethren.  And  so  as  Christ  hath  the  pre-eminence  iu 
all  things  above  them  all,  as  becomes  the  head  and  first- 
born, so  they  have  communion  with  him  in  all  things,  as 
becomes  his  members  and  brethren. 

And  whereas  he  jests,  and  saith,  he  that  hath  God  in 
liim,  needs  not  go  to  man  to  learn  ;  I  do  affirm  this  is 
true  enough,  and  the  scripture  hath  affirmed  it  in  several 
places  :  Isaiah  saith  to  the  spiritual  church,  all  thy  chil- 
dren shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord,  and  Christ  saith,  it  is 
written,  they  shall  be  all  taught  of  God:  he  therefore  that 
heard  and  learned  of  my  father,  cometh  tome.  And  John 
saith,  1  John  ii.  27-  The  anointing  ivhich  ye  have  re- 
ceived from  him,  abideth  in  you,  and  ye  need  not  that  any 
man  teach  you,  but  as  the  same  anointing  teacheth  you  all 
things,  and-  is  truth,  and  is  no  lie.  And  this  doctrine  is 
so  manifest  from  the  scriptures,  that  he  is  of  antichrist 
that  denies  it :  for  God  inwardly  teaches  all  his  people 
himself,  by  his  Spirit :  and  they  so  hear  the  word,  by  the 
ministry  of  mau;,  that  it  is  always  God  that  teaches  them^ 
and  not  man. 

11.  ERROR. 

Arts  and  tongues  are  the  cups  in  which  God  drinks 
to  us. 

Ansiver.  In  what  a  sad  condition  then  are  the  common 
and  plain  people,  that  they  cannot  pledge  him  ?  But  only 
the  learned  clergy  keep  these  cups  to  themselves,  as  here- 
tofore they  kept  the  cup  in  the  sacrament. 

But  what  strange  phrase  is  this  ?  savouring  of  the  ran- 
ters religion ;  as  if  God  was  the  familiar  companion  of 
the  clergy,  and  sometimes  drank  to  them  in  a  cup  of  he- 
brew,  sometimes  in  a  cup  of  greek,  and  sometimes  in  a 
cup  of  latin  ;  and  as  if  sometimes  he  drank  to  them  in  a 
cup  of  logic,  and  sometimes  in  a  cup  of  ethics^  sometimes 


552  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

in  a  cup  of  metaphysics  ?  Is  not  this  truly,  prol'ana 
vocuni  novitas,  a  piophanc  newness  of  speech,  never  be- 
fore heard  of  to  my  knowledge  in  the  church  of  God,  and 
which  the  apostle  utterly  condemns  ? 

12.  ERROR. 

We  shall  never  keep  up  religion,  if  we  do  not  keep  up 
learning ;  but  when  learning  goes  down,  religion  goes 
down  too. 

Jlnswer.  The  church  is  founded  on  Christ,  and  Christ 
and  his  church,  it  seems,  are  both  founded  on  human 
learning.  It  is  no  wonder  now,  that  Mr  Simpson  lays  so 
great  stress  onat  every  where!  And  that  men  of  his  re- 
ligion, term  the  university,  fundamentura  ecclesise,  the 
foundation  of  the  church.  And  if  human  learning  do  in- 
deed uphold  all  christian  religion,  let  all  men  and  magis- 
trates come  forth  and  uphold  it  in  the  name  of  God.  But 
surely,  the  religion  of  the  gospel  depends  wholly  on 
Christ,  as  Christ  on  God  :  and  there  is  no  need  of  human 
learning  to  support  this,  except  God  and  Christ  are  in- 
suflBcient.  We  have  a  sure  word  and  doctrine  of  the  gos- 
pel, that  remains  firm  for  ever,  and  inviolable,  and  un~ 
conquerable,  in  and  tlirough  Christ,  and  his  Spirit,  and 
the  father  ;  and  all  the  world  shall  shatter  in  pieces,  and 
human  learning  go  down  to  hell,  and  this  shall  stand  fast 
for  ever  :  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  awaij,  and  riot  one 
jot  or  tittle  of  my  word,  saith  Christ. 

Believers  know,  that  not  one  point  of  their  religion  de- 
pends on  human  learning  ;  but  all  on  Christ  himself,  who 
is  the  true  and  living  word.  Wherefore  these  are  the 
fears  of  antichrist  and  his  prophets,  that  their  religion 
will  go  down  with  human  learning,  because  it  was  set  up 
by  it :  But  the  true  religion  of  the  Gospel  of  God  our 
Saviour,  was  at  first  set  up  without  it.  and  hath  hitherto 
remained  without  it,  and  will  abide  so  for  ever.  And  to 
this  the  Spirit  and  the  Bride  give  witness. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  533 


♦ 


13.  ERROR. 

Seeing  religious  foundations  are  so  ancient,  then  keep 
them  up  :  Your  destruction  will  never  be,  but  from  your- 
selves. 

Answer,  Religious  foundations !  What  religion  found- 
ed the  universities  is  well  kni)wn.  For  by  the  counsel 
of  four  monks,  the  scholars  of  Bede,  to  wit,  liabauus, 
»llbinus,  Claudius,  and  John  Scotus,  the  university 
which  had  been  translated  from  Athens  to  Rome,  w  as 
translated  by  Charles  the  great,  from  Rome  to  I'avis, 
Anno.  791.  And  for  our  English  universities  of  Cam- 
bridge and  Oxford;  Thus  it  is  recorded:  ''That  the 
^'  study  of  Cambridge  was  instituted,  Anno  630.  by  Si- 
^^  gisbert  kin^  of  the  East  Angles,  who  after  changed 
*'  his  purple  or  kingly  robes,  for  a  fryar's  coul  or  liood. 
"  And  the  lectures  here  were  begun  by  four  monks,  of 
"  which  brother  or  fryar  Ode^  as  they  termed  him,  read 
*•  grammar,  according  to  Priscian's  doctrine  :  Terricus, 
''  an  acute  sophister,  read  Aristotle- s  logic,  according  to 
^'  the  Institutions  of  Porphyrins,  and  Averroes;  brother 
^^  or  fryar  William,  read  Tullifs  rhetoric :  and  Gisle- 
''  bertiis,  read  divinity  to  them  on  Sundays,  and  saints 
"  days*." 

And  for  Oxford,  ''  that  was  founded  by  king  Alfred, 
'•  Anno  895  by  the  persuasion  of  J\'*eotiis  the  monk ;  and 
"  rewards  were  propounded  for  those  that  would  profess 
''  learning  there.  Afterwards,  both  these  schools  were 
'•  made  universities,  in  Edward  the  first's  time,  by  the 
•^  court  of  Rome,  as  Robert  Remington  atfirmsf.'' 

*  Studium  Cantabrigiense  institutum  noscitur,  ^Inno  630.  a  Sigisberto  Anglo- 
rum  Orientalium  Rege»  qui  postea  purpuiam  in  cucuUum  commutavit.  Arnol- 
dus  IVion  Duacecsis,  Benedictinus.  lib.  5.  cap.  94. 

■j-  Anno  895  rex  MJredus  horlante  Neoto  monacho  viro  doctissimo,  Oxonii 
publlcam  academiam  inslituit,  propositis  professoribus  literarum  piaeiiiiis. 
Georg  LiUius  in  Chron.  Britan.  Regiiante  Edvardo  prim<>,  d^  studio  Grantb-ig^ 
facta  est  universitas,  sicut  est  Oxonium,  per  curiam  liomanum.  Robert  Be- 
mington. 


5543  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

4 

Yea  farther,  by  the  very  names  of  the  colleges,  it  is 
manifest,  what  religion  set  them  up ;  some  being  found- 
ed in  the  honour  of  one  saint,  some  of  another  saint;  one 
being  founded  in  the  honour  of  Christy  another  in  the  ho- 
nour of  Jesus,  another  in  the  honour  of  Immanuel,  ano- 
ther in  the  honour  of  the  Trinity ;  whereby  they  have 
rent  the  name  of  God  in  pieces,  each  one  seeking  to  ho- 
nour that  name  of  Christ  most,  in  the  honour  of  which 
his  college  was  founded  ;  yea,  some  colleges  have  been 
founded  in  the  honour  of  Christ's  body;  as  the  colleges 
of  Corpus  Christif  in  both  universities :  and  one  in  Ox- 
ford,  for  the  help  of  all  dead  souls,  and  for  their  rescue 
out  of  purgatory  :  And  so  it  is  well  known  what  religion 
founded  them.  And  what  religion  will,  in  due  time,  de- 
stroy these  foundations,  if  they  be  not  reformed,  is  as 
well  known. 

For  WicMijf]  whom  God  raised  up  to  be  one  of  the 
most  eminent  reformers  of  the  christian  religion,  since 
the  apostles  times,  speaks  thus,  touching  universities, 
colleges  and  students.  "  Seeing  Christ,  saith  he,  hath 
^^  not  ordained  these  universities,  or  colleges,  it  is  mani- 
^^  fest,  that  both  they,  and  the  graduations  in  them,  are 
^^  nothing  but  so  much  vain  heathenism  introduced;  in 
^*  testimony  whereof,  as  well  the  collegiates,  as  other 
^^  graduates,  do  seek  the  things  which  are  their  own, 
^^  leav  ing  the  rules  of  charity  :  From  whence  do  arise 
^^  envies,  and  comparisons  between  persons  and  couu- 
'^  tries,  and  many  other  seed-plots  of  the  father  of  lies*." 

Again,  he  having  spoken  of  other  sects,  saith,  ^'  Our 
'^judgment  concerning  colleges  is  the  same,  as  touching 

•  Quia  enim  Christus  non  ordinavit  istas  universitates,  sive  collegia,  manifes- 
tum  videtur,  quod  ista,  sicut  graduationes  in  illis,  sunt  vana  Gentilitas  intro- 
ducta,  in  cujus  signum  tam  coUegiati  quam  &  alii  graduati,  querunt  quje  sua 
sunt,  chai'itatis  regulas  deferentes :  ex  que  pululant  invidiae,  comparationes 
personarum  &  patriae,  &  multa  alia  seminaria  patris  mendacii.  Wickliff  in  spe- 
ado  militantis  ecclesice.  cap,  26, 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  595- 

^•'  their  general  studies  :  For  through  them,  persons  and 
^^  countries  are  accepted  against  the  rules  of  charity,  and 
"  inward  envitts  are  heaped  up,  with  other  sins,  perjuries, 
*^  and  simonies,  against  their  own  statutes,  ^otwith- 
'*  standing,  it  is  granted,  that  out  of  such  coUegs,  many 
"  good  things  do  arise^  as  well  as  out  of  other  sects  ;  yet 
'^  not  so  many,  as  by  the  occasion  of  the  sin  of  the  de- 
^^  vil,  and  the  sin  of  the  first  man.  And  therefore  let  a 
^'  faithful  man  be  ashamed  to  alledge  the  fruit  of  such 
^^  profit*.'' 

Again,  saith  he,  '^  If  these  colleges  are,  in  their  con- 
^'  versation,  rejected  of  the  Lord,  who  doubt  but  that,  to 
''  nourish  them  in  this  way,  is  no  alms,  but  the  foolish 
^'  presumption  of  a  faction  and  party  against  Christ  ? 
'*  For  all  these  sects,  and  all  newnesses  which  are  not 
"founded  on  Christ  the  Lord,  they  tempt  Christ  with 
"  the  devil,  JIatt.  iv.  seeing  they  despise  the  free  ordina- 
"  tion  of  his  sect,  and  do  rather  choose  another  servile 
^'  sect,  less  good ;  as  if  they  would  not  ascend  into  the 
*^  heavenly  Sion  by  the  steps  which  (rod  hath  ordained, 
"  but  would  fly  to  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple  by  the  car- 
^^  rying  of  the  devil.  What  alms  therefore  is  this,  to 
"  cherish  such  a  child  of  the  devil,  in  Cain's  castles^ 
^«  against  Christf  ?" 

•  Quantum  ad  collegia  in  studiis  suis  generalibus  est  Idem  judicium.  Nam  per 
ipsa,  patriae  &  personje,  cont  a  charitatis  regulas  acceptuntur,  et  intrinsecae 
invidiae,  cum  peccatis  aliis  et  perjuriis  ac  simoniis  contra  instituta  propria  cumu- 
lantur.  Conceditur  tamen,  quod  ex  talibus  coUegiis,  sicut  ex  aliis  sectis, 
cveniunt  multa  bona,  non  tamen  tot,  quot  occasione  peccati  diaboli,  et  peccati 
primi  hominis.  Ideo  erubescat  fidelis,  fructum  talis  «ommodi  allegare.  Wickliff 
lib.  de  curii  pastorale,  cap.  10- 

f  Si  collegia  ista  sunt  in  conversatlone  a  Domino  reprobata,  quis  dubitat  quia 
sic  nutrire  eos>  non  foret  eleemosyna,  sedfactioniaet  partis  contra  Christum  stulta 
presumptio.  Omnes  hx  sects  et  omnes  novitates,  quse  non  in  Christo  Domino 
fundatje  sunt,  tentant  Christum  cum  Satana,  Matt.  iv.  cum  spernunt  ordina- 
tionem  liberam  sectse  ejus,  &  praeeligunt  servilem  sectam,  aliam,  minus  bonam  ; 
ac  si  nollent  per  gradus  quos  Deus  ordinal,  in  Sion  ccelestem  ascendere,  sed  per 
lationem  Satanx  ad  templi  pinnacula  transvolvere.  Qu?e  ergo  eleemosyna  est 
sic  fovere  puerulum  talem  diaboli  in  castris  Cainiticis  contra  Christum  ?  Ide7ii. 


556  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

He  also  affirms,  "  that  one  ideot,  through  the  help  of 
"  the  grace  of  Grod,  doth  more  good  in  the  church,  than 
^^  many  graduates  in  the  schools  and  colleges  :  and,  that 
*'  God's  inspiration  of  such,  doth  more  profit  the  commu- 
"  nity  of  the  faithful,  than  all  the  universities,  and  all 
"  their  studies  and  privileges.'' 

Thus  hath  JF/c/r/?^  witnessed  in  this  matter,  who  was 
also  himself  master  of  Baliol  College  in  Oxford, :  And 
Philip  Melavcthon  gives  this  testimony  of  him,  Kquidem 
sapientpin  viriun  jiidico  fiiisse  Wicklefinn  Jlngliim,  qui 
omnium  primus,  quod  ego  sciam,  vidit  uviversitates 
fuisse  Satan ce  synagogas  ;  that  is,  "  I  do  indeed  judge 
^^  WickUjf  o^  England  to  have  been  a  wise  man,  who, 
^'  for  ought  I  know,  first  of  all,  saw  universities  to  have 
^^  been  the  synagogues  of  Satan." 

John  Hus  also,  that  excellent  instrument  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  blessed  martyr,  saith,  speaking  on  that  scrip- 
ture, Isaiah  xxviii.  "  Wo  to  the  crown  of  the  pride  of 
"  Kphraimj  and  the  crown  of  jiride  shall  be  troden  un- 
'^  der  foot,  saith.  The  doctorships  and  masterships  of 
^^  many,  who,  having  the  word  of  God  wholly  choked 
'^  in  them,  do  now  too  shamefully  make  broad  their  phi- 
^^  lacteries,  and  inlargethe  borders  of  their  garments,  and 
"  love  the  chief  chairs  in  the  schools,  and  to  be  saluted 
''  in  the  markets,  and  to  be  called  of  men,  doctor ;  and 
^*  by  this  they  go  in  the  apparel  and  harness  of  the  mys- 
^^  tical  body  of  antichrist,  because  it  is  written,  that  he 
"  is  the  king  of  all  the  children  of  pride.  And  the 
^^  crown  of  pride,  of  these  children  of  pride,  shall  be 
^<  trodden  dowa*.'^  .    , 


*  Pedibus  conculcabitur  corona  superbia:.  Nam  multorum  doctoratus  et 
magistratus,  qui  sullocalo  in  ipsis  prorsiis  verbo  evangelii,  jam  in  verecande 
nimis  magnificant  enribrias  &  dilatant  phylacteria  sua,  &  amantprimas  cathedras 
in  scbolis  &  saluta;  i  in  foro,  vocari  ab  hominibus  rabbi ;  ac  per  hoc  cedunt  in 
appavatu  &  arniamento  corporis  mys'ici  antichristi,  quoniam  scriptum  est,  est 
rcx  super  omnes  filios  superbix.     Joh.  Hus,  lib,  de  regno  antichristi,  cap.  14. 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  557 

And  thus,  as  it  is  manifest,  what  religion  fountkd  the 
universities;  so  it  is  as  manifest  what  religion  will,  in 
the  appointed  time,  destroy  these  foundations,  if  they  be 
not  truly  and  thoroughly  reformed.  For  surely  as  they 
are,  if  the  work  of  Christ  go  forward  in  the  world,  as  it 
necessarily  must  do,  notwithstanding  the  present  defec- 
tion, in  the  appointed  time,  they  can  no  more  be  held  up, 
than  the  house  built  on  the  sand,  in  the  time  of  tempest. 
For  the  true  spiritual  '*  church  is  built  on  the  foundation 
of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being 
the  chief  corner  stone  ;*'  and  so  it  is  firmly  founded  upon 
a  rock,  and  can  never  fall.  But  the  universities  are 
built  on  the  philosophers  and  heathens,  Plato  and  Jlris- 
totle  being  the  chief  corner  stones ;  and  so  they  are  built 
upon  the  sand.  And  neither  can  their  own  hands  up- 
hold them,  nor  the  secular  arm  establish  them,  in  that 
day,  wherein  the  Lord  alone  shall  be  exalted.  But  it  is 
not  men  of  moral  and  civil  religion  and  righteousness, 
who  will  do  this  work,  and  execute  this  vengeance;  for 
the  inchautments  of  the  universities  are  too  strong  and 
mighty  for  all  human  spirits;  but  the  called,  chosen,  and 
faithful  ones  of  Christ,  when  he  shall  summon  them,  and 
call  them  to  his  foot,  they  shall  not  stand  on  compli- 
ments, formalities,  and  niceties;  nor  regard  friendship 
or  enmity ;  but  through  the  power  of  faith,  shall  break 
through  all  that  can  be  said  and  objected  by  the  wisdom, 
policy,  prudence,  and  religion  of  man,  and  shall  exe- 
cute the  righteous  judgments  of  the  Lord  on  these  mo- 
thers of  harlots,  and  fornicators  of  the  nations. 

And  whereas  he  saith,  their  destruction  will  never  be, 
but  of  themselves  :  I  do  verily  believe  that :  For  seeing 
their  root  is  rottenness,  their  fruit  must  needs  be  destruc- 
tion. Yea,  the  Lord  will  raise  up  his  word  in  the  midst 
of  them,  to  destroy  them  :  For  the  more  the  word  of  the 
Lord  shall  blow  upon  the  university  the  more  shall  this 
grass  wither,   and  the  flower  thereof,  that  is,  human 


558  THE  CONFUTATION  OF 

learnins;,  fade  away,  till  it  be  at  last  quite  dried  up.  And 
this  is  the  university,  whose  day  is  coming,  when  iniqui- 
ty shall  have  an  end. 

And  thus  have  I  done  with  these  things  :  There  were 
many  other  things  in  that  sermon,  as  contrary  to  the  gos- 
pel, which,  for  brevity's  sake,  I  have  omitted. 

Now,  what  a  sad  thing  is  it,  that  such  poisonous  doc- 
trine should  be  poured  forth  into  a  university  congrega- 
tion, and  that,  by  the  ministry  of  such  a  man?  And  if 
the  ceremonies  of  the  law  were  in  use  under  the  gospel, 
how  ought  we  to  rend  our  garments  at  the  hearing  of 
these  things? 

The  conclusion.  And  now,  O  blessed  Lord  Jesus,  who 
wast  crucified,  dead,  and  buried,  but  yet  art  risen  from 
the  dead  by  the  eternal  Spirit,  and  art  ascended  on  high 
to  fill  all  things,  have  mercy  on  thy  poor  church,  which 
is  so  grievously  rent  and  torn  this  day,  by  wolves  in 
sheep's  clothing;  and  is  thus  hurt  and  consumed  by  poi- 
sonous doctrines  of  men,  who  seek  themselves,  and  their 
own  things,  to  the  harm  and  ruin  of  thy  poor  people !  0 
thou  Son  of  the  living  God,  who  art  the  way,  the  truth, 
and  the  life,  how  shall  the  kingdom  of  antichrist  be 
brought  down,  when  the  hands  of  such  men,  who  seem 
pillars  in  the  church,  are  stretched  forth  so  strongly  to 
hold  it  up?  And  how  shall  the  days  of  antichrist  be 
shortened,  when  his  kingdom  is  coming  forth  again,  in 
the  greatest  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness,  that  hath 
ever  yet  appeared  in  the  world  to  delude  the  nations  ? 
O  Lord,  remember  all  thy  promises,  and  make  haste  to 
destroy  Babylon  the  great,  with  all  its  mysteries  of  righ- 
teousness and  unrighteousness,  and  let  it  sink  as  a  mill- 
stone in  the  sea,  without  any  hope  or  possibility  of  a  re- 
surrection. And  seeing  there  is  no  hand  of  man  stretch- 
ed out  for  this  work,  but  all  hands  are  against  it;  do  thoa 
destroy  it,  0  Lord,  without  hand,  even  with  the  Spirit 
of  thy  mouth,  and  the  brightness  of  thy  coming,  accord- 


MR  S.  SIMPSON'S  ERRORS.  059 

iugtothe  truth  of  thy  promises,  and  the  unutterable  sighs 
and  groans  of  thy  Spirit,  occasioned  thereby,  in  the 
hearts  of  all  thy  faithful  and  elect.  Even  so,  Lord,  And 
let  thy  kingdom  come,  and  make  no  long  tarrying.  Amen. 


560 


Testimony  from  the  Word  against  IJivinity-Be- 
grees  in  the  University^  or  any  Jlcademioat  Be- 
grees  made  use  of  for  the  Ministry  of  the  Gos- 
pel. 


THE  universities,  whose  very  soul  and  life  do  lie  in 
human  learning  and  scliool  divinity,  that  they  might 
gain  the  greater  profit  to  tliemselves,  and  glory  to  ti^eir 
children,  have,  after  tlie  example  of  the  heathen,  given 
Iheir  children  degrees  in  divinity,  as  they  in  arts,  and 
the  glorious  titles  of  Batchelors,  Masters,  and  Doc- 
tors in  divinity,  as  so  many  crowns  of  gold  upon  their 
heads,  to  win  them  honour  and  reputation  with  all  peo- 
ple who  have  been  under  the  delusion  of  antichrist. 

And  in  the  confirming  of  these  graduations  or  degrees, 
"which  also  is  done  for  a  sum  of  money,  they  give  the 
graduates  license  and  power  to  preach,  and  to  expound 
the  scriptures,  and  that  hy  the  sole  authority  of  the  uni- 
versity. 

For  the  Vice- Chancellor,  admitting  a  batchelor  in 
divinity  to  his  degree,  useth  these  words  in  the  name  of 
the  university,  "  We  admit  you  to  declare  all  the  apos- 
*^  tolical  epistles,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and 
^^  Holy  Ghost.  And  so  the  batchelor  in  divinity  hath 
"•  power,  acccording  to  his  degree,  only  to  deal  with  the 
'^  apostolical  epistles,  but  must  go  no  farther."  And  ad- 
mitting a  doctor  to  his  degree,  the  vice-chancellor  saith 
thus,    "  We  admit  you  to  interpret  and  profess  all  the 


IN  DIVINITY.  561 

*•  holy  scriptures,  both  of  the  Old  and  New  Testampnt. 
^'  in  the  name  of  tl»e  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost*." 

And  thus  doth  the  university,  through  power  received 
from  antichrist,  give  men,  chielly  for  money,  divinity  de- 
grees  ;  and  through  those  degrees,  it  gives  authority  and 
privilege  to  batchelors  in  divinity  to  expound  part  of  the 
scriptures,  and  to  doctors  to  expound  and  profess  all  the 
scriptures ;  and  they  that  gain  these  degrees  to  them- 
selves, are  (as  there  is  good  reason)  the  great  men  in  ac- 
count with  the  university,  and  also  with  the  carnal  peo- 
ple of  antichrist,  how  destitute  soever  they  be  of  the  faith 
and  Spirit  of  the  gospel. 

Wherefore  I  cannot  choose,  but  give  in  my  testimony 
against  this  glorious  and  gainful  privilege  of  the  univer- 
sities,  to  wit,  their  conferring  upon  their  children  degrees 
in  divinity,  and  creating  them  masters  in  that  mystery 
which  none  can  teach  but  God  himself;  and  which  none 
can  learn  but  true  believers,  who  are  born  of  God,  and 
are  his  true  disciples. 

And  so  I  do  openly  affirm,  that  degrees  in  divinity, 
for  I  meddle  with  none  else,  given  by  the  universities  to 
their  children,  are  plainly  and  grossly  antiehristian,  be- 
ing most  manifestly*  contrary  to  the  word  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  light  that  shines  in  the  New  Testament. 

For  first.  In  the  gospel  of  God  our  Saviour,  we  learn, 
that  only  a  new  and  heavenly  birth,  makes  men  to  be  of 
the  true  church ;  and  that  the  pouring  forth  of  the  Spirit 
on  these  children  of  God,  according  to  the  measure  of  the 
gift  of  God,  makes  christians  of  several  degrees  in  this 
church,  and  not  academical  graduations. 

•  Procancellarius  bacchalaureum  theologix  admittens,  his  verbis  utitur ;  ad- 
Hilttimus  te  ad  enairandum  omnes  apostolicas  epistolas  in  nomine  Patris,  Filii, 
et  Spiritas  Sancti.  Doctorem  admittens  ita  dicit,  admittimus  te  ad  inteipretan- 
dum  universam  sacram  scripturam,  tarn  Veteris  quam  Novi  Testamtnti,  in  no- 
mine Patris,  Filii  et  Spiritus  Sancti.  Cap.  20.  De  ceremoniis  in  gradibus  con- 
ferendls. 

4  T^ 


562  AGAINST  SCHOOL-DEGREES 

Secondly,  In  this  gospel  also  we  are  tauglit,  that  all 
the  true  ministers  of  Christ  are  equal,  and  not  one  supe- 
rior to  another,  as  these  degrees  make  them. 

Thirdly,  In  this  gospel  also  we  are  taught,  that  the 
true  greatness  amongst  Christ's  true  disciples,  doth  not 
stand  in  academical  degrees,  or  worldly  honour  and  dig- 
nities, but  in  the  faithful's  near  and  exact  following  of 
Christ,  in  word  and  conversation  ;  and  that  the  sons  of 
Zebedee,  in  desiring  superiority  and  pre-eminence  above 
the  other  disciples,  contrary  to  the  life  and  doctrine  of 
Christ,  did  grievously  offend,  and  were  therefore  sharply 
rebuked  of  Christ. 

Fourthly,  Yea  here,  we  hear  Christ  himself  forbidding 
this  very  thing  to  his  disciples,  that  antichrist  and  his 
prophets  might  have  no  cloak  for  doing  the  contrary, 
where  his  gospel  is  truly  taught  and  published.  For 
Matt,  xxiii.  Christ  doth  forbid  his  disciples,  before  all 
the  multitude,  to  be  as  the  Jewish  rabbies  or  doctors, 
who,  saith  Christ,  do  their  ivories  to  he  seen  of  men  ;  and 
disguise  themselves  with  different  garments  or  habits 
from  others,  that  they  might  be  the  more  taken  notice  of, 
and  have  the  more  respect ;  and  do  love  the  uppermost 
rooms  at  feasts,  and  the  chief  seats  in  the  synagogues,  and 
greetings  in  the  markets,  and  to  he  called  of  men  doctor, 
doctor  ;  but,  saith  Christ  to  his  disciples,  Be  not  ye  call- 
ed doctors;  for  one  is  your  master ,  even  Christ,  and  ye 
are  all  brethren,  and  so  equal. 

Whence  it  is  evident,  that  this  practice  of  universities 
and  colleges,  in  giving  men  degrees  in  divinity,  as  they 
call  it,  and  titles,  habits,  and  dignities  accordingly,  is 
contrary  to  the  express  command  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
so  is  a  mere  invention  of  antichrist,  to  put  honour  and 
reputation  on  his  ministers. 

It  is  also  manifest,  that  this  practice  of  the  universities, 
hath  all  along  made  many  doctors  in  the  church,  which 
yet  never  were  Christ's  true  disciples. 


IN  DIVINITY.  563 

It  is  also  manifest,  that  these  degrees  and  titles  do 
cause  men  to  be  proud,  and  to  lift  themselves  up  above 
their  brethren,  and  to  think  themselves  something,  when 
they  are  nothing;  such  graduates  usually  proving  iheolo* 
gi  gloricB,  divines  of  glory ;  and  not  theologi  criicis,  di- 
vines of  the  cross,  as  Luther  speaks ;  that  is,  proud  and 
haughty  clerks,  and  not  the  humble  ministers  of  Christ 
crucified. 

These  degrees  also  do  break  the  simplicity  of  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  and  do  prejudice  the  communion  of  saints. 

Farther,  these  degrees  are  a  dangerous  snare  to  sim- 
ple people;  causing  them  to  receive  all  for  good  doc- 
trine that  is  delivered  by  such  men,  though  it  be  never 
so  erroneous  and  unsound ;  inasmuch  as  their  high  titles, 
which  they  have  gotten  in  these  high  places,  and  the  re- 
putation of  their  learning,  strikes  an  awe  into  them,  that 
they  dare  not  once  question  what  such  men  deliver,  much 
less  contradict  it. 

Wherefore,  as  much  of  the  mystery  of  iniquity  is  dis- 
covered and  dissolved  already,  so  there  is  no  doubt,  but 
that  this  glorious  relic  thereof,  to  wit,  divinity-degrees, 
will  also,  in  due  time,  follow,  as  the  lightenings  of  God 
shall  enlighten  the  world. 

And  seeing  so  much  of  the  light  of  the  gospel  hath 
shined  forth  in  this  age,  it  were  to  be  wished  that  the  uni- 
versities, heads  of  colleges  and  clergy,  would  not  wilful- 
ly, for  worldly  honour,  respects,  and  advantage  sake, 
shut  their  eyes  against  it,  or  rather  with  open  eyes,  ma- 
liciously seek  to  extinguish  it;  but  that  they  would  be 
contented,  to  have  all  their  honour  lie  in  their  likeness 
to  Christ,  who  was  in  the  church  as  one  that  served;  and 
who  was  so  far  from  receiving  honour,  and  taking  titles 
from  men,  to  make  himself  thereby  of  account  in  the 
world,  that  being  Lord  of  all,  he  made  himself  of  no  re- 
futation; and  that  they  would  reject  all  the  pomp  and 
pride  of  the  false  church,  which;  being  destitute  of  faith 


064?  AGAINST  SCHOOL-DEGREES 

and  the  Spirit,  makes  itself  and  its  ministers  glorious  In 
outward  names  and  titles. 

Now,  though  tills  be  a  plain  case  in  the  gospel,  and 
there  needs  no  testimony  of  men ;  yet  for  the  fuller  con- 
viction of  the  world,  1  shall  add  the  witness  of  other  be- 
lievers, that  it  may  appear,  that  I  am  not  alone  in  this 
matter ;  though  to  have  been  alone  with  the  word,  would 
have  been  sure  and  safe  enough. 

In  Edivard  the  third's  time,  there  was  an  excellent 
discourse  set  forth,  called  The  Ploughman's  Complaint, 
&c.  which  testifieth  against  these  divinity  degrees,  in 
these  words,  ''Antichrist,  saith  it,  maketh  masters  too 
many,  who  teach  the  people  with  their  own  teaching, 
and  leave  God's  teaching,  which  is  needful,  and  hide  it, 
"with  qtiaint  glosses,  from  the  mean  people  But,  saith 
he,  these  glossers  object,  that  they  desire  not  the  state  of 
mastery,  to  be  worshipped  thereby,  but  the  more  to  pro- 
fit the  people  when  they  preach  the  word.  For  they  say, 
the  people  will  more  believe  the  preaching  of  a  master, 
that  hath  taken  a  state  of  school,  than  the  preaching  of 
another  man  that  hath  not  taken  the  state  of  mastership. 
To  which  he  replies.  That  it  is  no  need  that  masters 
bear  witness  to  God's  teaching  or  word,  that  it  is  true 
and  good  ;  neither,  saith  he,  can  any  man,  by  his  state  of 
mastership  which  God  hath  forbidden,  draw  any  man 
from  his  sin,  rather  than  another  man  who  is  not  a  mas- 
ter, nor  will  be  none,  because  it  is  forbidden  him  in  the 
gospel.  And  a  little  after,  he  saith ;  Seeing  we  are  to 
believe  a  man's  works  more  than  his  word,  the  deed 
sheweth  well  of  these  masters,  that  they  desire  master- 
ship, rather  for  their  own  worship,  than  for  profit  of  the 
people,"  &c. 

Afterwards,  John  Wicklrjf^  tliat  chosen  servant  of 
Christ,  did  witness  against  these  antichristian  degrees, 
who  saith,  "The  clergy  do  busily  seek  their  own  worldly 
<^  worship,  and  glory,  and  by  groat  gifts  and  vain  cesls. 


IN  DIVINITY.  565 

"  to  be  called  masters  in  divinity  ;  antl  to  speak  before 
"  lords,  and  to  sit  at  the  meat  with  them  ;  and  not  to  teach 
"  truly  the  gospel  to  all  manner  of  men,  by  meek  life, 
"  and  freely,  as  Christ  bids." 

The  same  Wicklifff  on  Matt,  xxiii.  4.  saith,  "Al- 
"  though  in  some  studies,  the  name  of  doctor  imports  ex- 
"  cellency,  seeing  it  is  a  heathenish  rite,  heaped  together 
^*  of  many  honours  and  states,  yet  ia  the  text  of  the 
^^  apostle,  it  is  taken  more  plainly  for  any  faithful  man, 
"  who  doth  notably  teach  the  catholic  faith  :  And  so  the 
"  name  doctor,  speaks  desert  and  labour,  and  takes 
*^  away  pride  and  eminency  of  state,  according  to  this 
"  world*" 

Again,  saith  he,  "  Every  sect,  state,  and  operation, 
'^  which  Christ  doth  not  approve  in  his  gospel,  is,  in 
*^  reason,  to  be  rejected;  and  therefore  seeing  Christ 
*^  doth  not  approve,  but  reprove  the  forenamed  heathen- 
'^  ish  mastership,  it  is  manifest  that  it  is  to  be  discharged, 
^^  and  cast  out  of  the  churchf." 

Again,  saith  he,  "  Note,  that  the  name  of  an  oflBce, 
"  doth  much  diifer  from  the  name  of  a  scholastical  gradu- 
'^  ation,  heathenishly  brought  in|." 

He  saith  also,  "  That  Christ  hath  specially  forbidden 
"  his  disciples,  heathenish  or  scholastical  mastership  ; 
•^  and  that  Christ  would  have  the  name  of  master  or  doc- 
"  tor,  singularly  reserved  to  himself ;  seeing  he,  by  rea- 

•  Licet  in  quibusdam  studiis  nomen  doctoris  sit  excellentius,  cum  sit  ritus 
gentilis  ex  multis  honoribus  &  statibus  aggregatus,  tamen  in  textu  apostoli 
sumitur  simplicius,  pro  quocunque  fideli,  qui  notabiliter  docet  fidem  catholicam; 
&  sic  dicet  nomen  doctoris  meritum  &  alborem,  &  interimit  superbiam  &  status 
eminentian  quoad  mandum.     W'tckUff  Tractat.  in  cap.  23.  Matt. 

t  Breviter,  omnis  secta,  status  vel  opcratio,  quam  Christus  non  approbat  in 
sue  evangelio,  est  rationabiliter  dimittenda ;  ideo  cum  Christus  non  approbat 
sed  reprobat  gentile  magisterium  supradictum,  patet  quod  est  de  ecclesia 
dimittendum.     Idem. 

i  Nota  quod  nomen  officii  multum  distat  a  nomine  graduationis  scholasticae, 
gentiliter  introductK.    M'kkUff,  imerjiion.  Domini  in  monte. 


566  AGAINST  SCHOOL-DEGREES. 

"  son  of  bis  hypostatical  union,  liath  a  certain  excelleu- 
^'  cy,  which  cannot  agree  to  any  other  of  mankind  :"  And 
concludes,  "  That  seeing  there  is  danger  in  attributing 
^^  to  men  the  title  of  master  or  doctor  in  divinity,  there- 
^'  fore  in  good  reason,  those  titles  are  to  be  shunned  in 
"  the  church  of  God*.'' 

John  Hiis  also  saith,  "  That  they  who  take  to  them- 
^'  selves  academical  degrees,  and  titles  answerable,  do 
*^  go  in  the  apparel  and  harness  of  the  mystical  body  of 
^^  antichrist,  who  is  the  king  of  all  the  children  of  pride, 
''  to  wit,  of  the  masters  and  doctors  in  divinityf ." 

Again,  in  another  place  he  speaks  to  this  purpose ; 
^^  Christ,  saith  he,  saith,  John  viii.  JSTeither  came  I  of 
*'  myself  but  the  Father  sent  me  ;  so  the  saints  have 
'^  come  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  in  the  name 
^^  of  Jesus  they  have  performed  their  priesthood,  and  he 
^^  is  the  crown  of  their  glory.''  "  And  by  this,  they  are 
"  distinguished  from  certain,  who  are  otherwise  crowned 
'•'  as  masters,  and  doctors,  and  batchelors ;  and  from 
"  others  of  other  kind  of  titles,  according  to  the  manifold 
"  wisdom  of  this  world ;  for  these  excelling  others  by 
^*  their  pains,  and  through  their  own  science  and  learning, 
*^  are  notably  beautified  with  their  own  titles  and  crowns, 
^^  and  therefore  do  rather  perform  their  office  in  their 
"  own  name,  than  in  Christ's^."  Thus  he. 

Luther  speaks  much  to  this  purpose  also ;  but  I  shall 
have  occasion  to  use  him  more  largely. 

Zuinglius  on  that  scripture.  Matt,  xxiii.  Be  ye  not 
called  doctor,  for  one  is  your  master,  Christ,  8^c.  saith 
thus,   ^'  Thou  hearest  here,  that  these  titles  of  masters 

•  Cum  periculiim  Si  superfluitas  sit  in  isto  nomine,  videturquod  istudnoigfn 
sit  rationabiliter  fugiendum.  Wiciliff". 

-}•  John  Hus.  Lib.  de  regno,  l^c.  antichristi.  c.  14. 

+  Ac  per  hoc  distinguuntur  a  quibusdam  aliunde  coronatis,  ut  magistri  &: 
doctores,  &  baccalaurei,  nee  non  aliis  varii  generis  titulorum,  in  multiplici 
scientiahujus  mundi,  Stc. 


IN  DIVINIT\.  567 

^^  and  doctors,  are  not  of  God,  seeing  Christ  forbids 
*<  them*." 

Conradus  PeUican  also,  a  godly  preacher,  having  the 
sense  of  this  on  his  death-bed,  desired  his  friends,  that 
he  might  by  no  means  be  buried,  as  the  manner  tlien  was, 
in  the  habit  of  a  doctor,  quia  perabat  se  sresurrectiivum 
ad  judicium  non  ut  doctor  em,  sed  ut  Jiumilem  christianum; 
'^  because  he  hoped  he  should  rise  to  judgment,  not  as  a 
'*  doctor,  but  as  an  humble  ehristianf." 

Now  methinks,  the  clear  and  pricious  word  of  Christ 
alone,  should  take  off  the  universities  and  clergy  from 
giving  and  receiving  these  degrees  and  titles,  if  they  do 
in  good  earnest  profess  themselves  to  be  his  disciples  ; 
but  how  much  ought  they  to  be  ashamed  and  confound- 
ed, when  they  see  other  believers,  for  the  love  of  Christ 
and  his  word,  utterly  renouncing  these  things  before 
their  faces,  that  they,  if  they  persist,  may  be  left  wholly 
without  excuse  before  Christ  and  his  church  ! 

And  now,  for  the  conclusion  of  this  matter,  1  shall 
hold  forth  to  the  universities,  the  true  degrees  which 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  did  himself  take  in  the  church  of 
God,  and  which  all  his  saints  are  to  take,  after  his  ex- 
ample. 

Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  the  first  and 
chief  teacher  of  the  New  Testament,  did  neither  com- 
mence batchelor  nor  doctor  in  divinity,  but  he  took  five 
other  degrees,  wherein  the  university  graduates  are  usual- 
ly wanting. 

Christ's  first  degree  in  the  church  was  this,  that  he 
w$s  the  Son  of  God  ;  as  the  Lord  said  to  him,  Tliou  art 
my  Son,  this  day  Jtave  I  begotten  thee.  And  again,  Tliis 
is  my  beloved  Son,  in  ichom  I  am  icell  pleased.  And  this 
is  the  first  degree  that  Christ  himself  took  in  the  church, 

*  Audis  hie  hujusmcdi  titulos  magistroi  um  &  doctorum  non  ex  Deo  esse, 
quum  Christus  hoc  veta't.  Zuingl. 

j  CoMradu,s  PeUtcani.  ^lelch.  Mam.  in  vita  PelHcani . 


568  AGAINST  SCHOOL-DEGREES 

his  divine  Sonship,  according  to  his  human  nature.  And 
this  degree,  all  the  faithful  take  with  him,  for  they  all 
are  begotten  of  Grod,  and  born  of  the  immortal  seed 
of  his  word ;  and  their  being  the  children  of  God 
through  faithj  is  the  first  degree  also  that  they  take  in 
the  church. 

2.  Christ's  second  degree  in  the  church,  was  his  unc- 
tion with  the  Spirit;  for  being  the  Son  of  God,  the  Spir 
rit  of  God  came  and  sat  upon  him  in  the  form  of  a  dove^ 
which  was  his  New  Testament  baptism ;  and  his  first 
degree  was  confirmed  to  him  by  the  Father,  when  he 
took  this  second ;  for  whilst  the  Spirit  rested  on  him,  a 
voice  from  heaven  said,  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  I  am  ivell  pleased. 

And  this  second  degree  also,  all  the  faithful  take  with 
Christ;  for  they  all,  as  his  fellows,  are  anointed  together 
with  him,  the  chief  among  them;  they,  as  members,  are 
anointed  together  with  him,  the  head,  with  the  same  oil 
of  gladness;  and  being  sons,  God  sends  the  Spirit  of  his 
Bon  into  their  hearts;  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Son  in  their 
hearts  is  a  sure  testimony  they  are  sons  :  and  their  se- 
cond degree  also  confirms  their  first ;  to  wit,  the  gift  of 
the  Spirit,  their  sonship. 

,  3.  Christ's  third  degree  was  this ;  that  after  he  was 
anointed  by  the  Spirit,  and  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
then,  for  the  proof  of  both.  He  was  led  by  the  Spirit  into 
the  wilderness,  to  be  tempted  of  the  devil,  forty  days  and 
nights  together  ;  and  in  all  these  temptations,  through 
his  sonship  and  unction,  he  overcame  the  devil,  and  came 
away  conqueror :  And  this  was  his  third  degree  in  the 
church  of  God,  that  the  anointed  Son  of  God  overcame 
the  devil,  in  all  the  greatest,  and  most  grievous  tempta- 
tions, he  could  assault  him  withal. 

And  this  third  degree  also,  all  the  faithful  take  with 
Christ ;  for  when  they  are  the  anointed  Sons  of  God, 
Satan  sets  upon  them,  with  all  sorts  of  temptations,  and 


IN  DIVINITY.  569 

they  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  wrestle  with  prin- 
cipalities, and  powers,  and  spiritual  wickedness  set  in 
high  places,  and  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world  ; 
and  yet  they,  in  the  strength  of  their  sonship  and  unction 
with  Christ,  do  also  with  him,  tread  Satan  under  their 
feet,  and  go  away  conquerors  tlirough  the  grace  of  God 
in  them ;  and  tliis  also  is  their  third  degree  in  the  true 
church. 

4*.  Christ's  fourth  degree  in  the  church  was  this  ;  that 
after  his  sonship,  unction,  and  victory  over  the  devil  in 
all  temptations,  he  then  went  forth  as  a  fit  and  able  minis- 
ter, to  teach  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom,  against  all  the 
enmity  and  opposition  of  the  world,  devil,  and  false 
church,  as  it  is  taught  us,  Matt.  iv.  11, — 17. 

And  this  fourth  degree  also,  all  the  truly  faithful  take 
with  Christ.  For,  after  they,  through  faith,  are  the  sons 
of  God,  and  through  their  sonship,  are  anointed,  and 
through  their  unction,  overcome  the  devil  in  all  his  temp- 
tations, then  also  they  preach  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom, 
being  all  of  them  a  chosen  generation,  and  royal  priest- 
hood, to  shew  forth  the  virtues  of  him  that  hath  called 
them  out  of  darkness,  into  his  marvellous  light,  as  Peter 
testifies  :  And  they  all  speak  as  they  do  believe,  and 
have  experience;  and  their  sonship,  unction,  and  victory 
over  temptation,  is  as  sufficient  a  ground  for  them  to 
teach,  as  it  was  for  Christ  to  teach;  and  so  they,  with- 
out any  regard  of  the  laws  of  antichrist,  or  orders  of  the 
clergy,  go  forth  to  teach  the  everlasting  gospel,  as  Christ 
did  before  them ;  and  this  is  the  fourth  degree  of  Christ 
and  the  faithful  in  the  church. 

5.  Christ's  fifth  and  last  degree,  which  he  took  in  the 
church  was  this  ;  that  he,  having  both  preached  and  lived 
the  word,  whereat  the  world  and  worldly  church  were 
wholly  offended,  and  inraged  ;  did,  at  the  last,  willingly 
confirm  his  doctrine  with  his  death,  and  did  seal  to  the 
truth  of  it  with  his  blood ;  exposing  himself  to  the  most 

4C 


570  AGAINST  SCHOOL-DEGREES. 

shameful  and  iguoaiinions  death  of  the  cross,  to  confirm 
liis  gospel  to  his  church  ;  and  this  was  the  highest  and 
mos!  glorious  degree  tliat  Christ  took  in  his  church,  as 
he  lestifies,  when  speaking  of  his  suflPcrings,  saying,  JVoit? 
is  the  hour  come,  that  the  Son  of  man  should  be  glarijied. 

And  this  fifth  degree  also,  all  the  truly  faithful  do  take 
"vvith  Christ,  either  in  deed,  if  need  require,  or  in  pre- 
paration and  readiness  of  mind^  and  thai  whilst  they  live 
in  outward  peace.  All  the  blessed  martyrs  have  taken 
this  highest  degree  in  the  church  with  Ciirist;  and  all  the 
rest  of  his  seed  have  been,  and  are  ready  to  take  it  also, 
%vhen  it  is  the  good  will  of  their  heavenly  Father ;  seeing 
they  can  say,  in  the  same  faith  and  spirit  with  Christ, 
even  in  this  matter.  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup 
jMssfrom  me  ;  yet  not  my  icill,  but  thy  will  be  done  :  For 
they  also  are  come  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  them, 
even  to  the  laying  down  their  lives. 

Now  these  are  the  only  degrees  that  Christ  himself 
took  in  the  church,  and  which  all  the  saints  take  with 
him  ;  and  the  true  spiritual  church  of  believers  allows 
and  approves  no  other  degrees  but  these. 

And  what  now  are  the  university  degrees  in  divinity 
to  these ;  they  are  degrees  in  antichrist's  church  only ; 
and  every  heathen  or  human  creature,  Turk  or  Infidel, 
may  take  them  as  well  as  they,  with  a  little  time  and 
pains,  and  money. 

Wherefore,  that  I  may  turn  my  speech  a  little  to  the 
university,  ^'  Do  thou,  university,  if  thy  day  and  time  of 
visitation  be  not  already  past,  lay  this  to  heart,  how 
much  thou  hast  departed  from  the  gospel  of  Christ  in 
this  matter,  as  w^ell  as  in  all  the  rest ;  and  hast  received 
the  doctrine,  and  laws,  and  methods,  and  manners  of 
antichrist,  wherewith  thou  hast  deceived  thyself  as  well 
as  the  nations.  And  thou,  university,  hast,  like  thy  own 
mother  Babylon,  Mystery  written  on  thy  forehead ;  for 
thou  hast  taken  to  thyself  this  glorious  title,  AJJ\Li 


IN  DIVINITY.  ,    571 

MATER,  the  beautiful  mother,  which  only  belongs 
to  Jerusalem  from  above :  And  though  thou  hast  brought 
fortli  a  company  of  prodigious  chihlren,  heathenish,  fool- 
ish, vain,  vile  and  abominable,  yet  hast  thou  called  them 
learned,  and  given  them  degrees  in  divinity,  contrary  to 
the  degrees  in  the  gospel ;  and  hast  sent  tliem  forth  into 
every  city,  country,  town,  and  village,  as  ministers  of 
Christ,  yea  as  sons  of  the  morning,  though  yet  very  un- 
believers, and  altogether  destitute,  of  the  Spirit :  And 
thus  hast  thou  deceived  the  nations,  and  given  them  a 
false  ministry  instead  of  a  true  ;  and  by  this  false  minis- 
try, a  false  word,  instead  of  the  gospel ;  and  the  world 
hath  not,  at  any  time,  received  a  greater  wo,  nor  more 
grievous  plague,  than  from  thee  :  Wherefore,  thus  saith 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  The  day  of  thy  vengeance  is  com- 
ing, and  the  years  wherein  thou  shalt  be  made  desolate  ; 
and  thy  dainty  and  goodly  things  shall  depart  from  thee: 
and  thou  shalt  find  them  no  more  at  all;  and  the  voice  of 
musicians  and  pipers  shall  no  more  he  heard  in  thee  ;  for 
in  thee  is  found  the  blood  of  jivophets,  and  of  saints,  and 
of  all  that  have  been  slain  upon  the  earth.  Thy  human 
learning,  to  wit,  thy  philosophy  and  school-di\  inity,  and 
the  false  ministry  that  they  have  set  up,  and  the  false 
christians  that  have  proceeded  from  that  ministry,  have 
devised  and  executed  all  these  murders  and  massacres 
on  the  true  saints  of  God." 


((uis  est  sapiens  £^  intelliget  Imc  f 


072 


THE 


Testimony  of  Martin  Luther 

Upon  the  whole  matter,  to  wit, 

Touching  Universities,  Human  Learning,  or  Philoso- 
j^hy,  University-Degrees,  S^c, 

MAUTIJ^  LUTHER,  in  liis  answer  to  Amhrosius 
Catharinus,  expounding  the  vision  concerning  antichrist, 
d)an.  viii.  speaks  thus  : 

^  '*  The  twelfth  and  last  face  of  antichrist,  is  that  chaos, 
and  open  gate  of  hell,  yet  very  comely  to  behold,  to  wit, 
the  universities ;  into  which,  peijury,  and  the  abuse  of 
God's  name,  are  the  entrance ;  and  the  progress  is  a  free 
and  most  licentious  conversation,  in  all  manner  of  wick- 
edness. And  yet,  under  these  sins  and  destructions, 
science  and  sapience  are  promised  ;  yea,  titles  and  de- 
grees are  given  instead  of  rewards. 

But  what  do  they  perform  at  length  ?  First,  the  more 
choice  youth  of  Christian  people  are  here  prostituted,  and 
are  cast  into  the  open  throat  of  hell ;  that  I  verily  think, 
this  destruction  was  figured  by  the  idol  Moloch,  to  whom 
antiently  they  made  their  choice  children  to  pass  through 
the  fire.  Afterwards,  Aristotle  being  read  to  them,  and 
not  rightly  understood,  tlie  wits  of  christian  youth  are 
exercised  with  heathenish  and  human  learning,  yea,  are 
quite  blinded  and  oppressed  with  it.  And  instead  of  the 
word  of  God,  the  doctrine  of  antichrist  is  delivered ;  that 
it  may  seem,  the  devil  himself  could  not  bring  forth  a 
more  subtil  and  effectual  invention  and  engine,  utterly  to 
extinguish  the  gospel,  than  to  set  up  universities.  Where- 
in, under  the  pretence  of  christian  doctrine,  nothing 


LUTHER'S  TESTIMONY,  &c.  578 

should  be  taught,  but  that  which  is  most  contrary  to  the 
christian  faith.  And  if,  at  any  time,  it  seem  good,  to  call 
forth  the  choicest  to  the  government  of  the  churches, 
they  call  them  out  of  the  stews  and  dens. 

And  truly  to  me,  this  last  face  of  antichrist  seems  to 
be  the  most  liurtful  of  all,  because  this  hath  the  pretence 
of  the  word,  when  all  the  rest  have  only  the  colour  of  ex- 
ample ;  and  this  is  plainly  schola  liidoth,  the  school  of 
propositions,  of  which  anon.  For  it  is  incomparably  the 
greatest  prejudice,  under  the  colour  of  the  word,  to  teach 
things  contrary  to  the  word  ;  seeing  the  face  of  examples 
is  formed  and  strengthened  by  the  face  of  the  word,  which 
otherwise  would  soon  come  to  nothing,  if  the  word  should 
reign  in  its  genuine  sense ;  and  also,  seeing  the  pretence 
of  examples  doth  only  deceive  the  manners  ;  but  the  pre- 
tence of  the  word,  overthrows  the  word.  But  if,  by  any 
grace  of  God,  the  universities  should  receive  the  word, 
to  wit,  instead  of  philosophy  and  school  divinity,  how 
soon  would  the  papacy,  with  all  its  faces  or  appearances, 
perish  ?  Seeing  this  face,  to  wit,  the  university,  is  the 
prop,  bones,  and  whole  strength  of  that  kingdom  of 
faces.''  . 

TERSE  1. 

This  deceitful  face  seems  to  be  foretold,  Mev.  ix*. 
which  scripture,  it  is  worth  while  to  rehearse,  and  a  little 
to  unfold.  For  John  saith,  TJie  first  angel  sounded^  and  I 
saiv  a  star  fall  from  heaven  unto  the  earthy  and  to  him 
was  given  the  key  of  the  bottomless  fit,  §*c.  I  will  here 
make  trial  a  little,  saith  he,  with  my  own  apprehension. 
Now,  certain  it  is,  that  by  angels,  through  all  the  apo- 
calypse, is  meant  the  overseers  of  churches,  as  doth 
plainly  appear  outof  the  second  and  third  chapters,  where 
it  is  written,  "  To  the  angel  of  Ephesus,  Smyrua,  and 
others."  Further,  that  other  sort  of  augels  which  sound 

*  Uev.  i,K.  from  the  fivst  to  the  t^velfth  verse,  expounded  by  I.ntlw. 


^74  LUTHER'S  TESTIMONY, 

the  trumpet,  of  which  there  are  seven  mentioned,  chap, 
viii.  cannot  agree  to  any  but  the  Roman  bishop,  seeing 
no  others  are  said  to  sound  with  trumpet.  Now  to  sound 
with  trumpet,  can  be  nothing  else,  as  appears  by  the  con- 
sequence of  the  text,  and  the  following  effects,  than  to 
make  decrees,  which  none  ever  arrogated  to  himself,  be- 
sides the  bishop  of  the  Roman  church.  Neither  is  it  said 
in  vain,  that  they  prepared  themselves  to  sound  ;  seeing, 
chiefly  in  these  popes,  there  hath  been  an  impatient  fury, 
and  unquiet  tyranny,  to  make  laws,  and  thereby  to  sub- 
ject others  to  themselves. 

But  let  us  come  to  our  first  angel,  who  was  the  first 
among  three,  who  were  to  bring  three  woes  upon  the 
earth  ;  and  this  is  he,  who  did  first  institute  and  confirm 
universities,  whom  it  is  not  easy  for  me  to  name,  his- 
tories so  varying  in  this  matter.  But  let  him  be  whoso- 
ever he  was,  he  was  a  star  fallen  from  heaven  to  earth: 
whether  it  were  Alexander  of  Hales,  or,  which  I  rather 
think,  St  Thomas,  who  only  (after  the  universities  were 
approved,  and  this  angel  had  sounded)  was  either  the 
first,  or  chief  author  of  bringing  in  philosophy  into  the 
christian  world,  being  the  most  Aristotelian,  yea  plainly 
Aristotle  himself;  to  whom,  as  to  the  earth,  he  fell  from 
Christ  the  heaven,  having  obtained  the  authority  of  that 
most  wicked  angel,  approving  such  studies. 
VERSE  2. 

And  he  received  the  key  of  the  bottomless  jjity  and  open- 
ed it,  and  brought  forth  to  us  philosophy,  long  ago  dead 
and  damned  by  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles  :  and  from 
thence  ascended  the  smoke  of  that  pit,  that  is,  the  mere 
words  and  opinions  of  Aristotle  and  the  philosophers,  as 
the  smoke  of  that  great  furnace  :  for  then  philosophy 
prevailed,  and  became  of  large  extent  and  power,  so  that 
Aristotle  was  made  equal  with  Christ,  in  respect  of  au- 
thority and  faith.  And  hereby  was  the  sun  darkened  (even 
Christ,  the  sun  of  righteousness  and  truth  5  moral  virtues 


TOUCHING  UNIVERSITIES.  575 

hiiins;  brought  in,  instead  of  faith,  and  infinite  opinions 
instead  of  triitli,)  and  tlie  air  also,  with  the  smoke  of  the 
pit  ;  that  it  may  be  understood,  not  to  be  an  eclipse  of 
the  sun,  but  the  obscurity  of  the  air  and  sun,  by  the 
smuke  of  the  pit  ascending,  to  wit,  human  doctrines,  ob- 
scuring  Christ  and  his  faith,  as  tlie  sun  and  air. 
VERSE  3. 

And  out  of  the  smoke  of  the  pit  .there  came  forth  locusts 
on  the  earth.  Here  the  people  of  the  universities,  bred 
and  born  of  philosophy,  are  called  locusts,  by  a  most  fit 
name  ;  because  they  are  without  a  king,  that  is,  Christ; 
and  fly  in  companies,  as  is  said,  Proi'.  iii.  and  also  be- 
cause they  waste  and  burn  up  all  green  things  w  herever 
they  light;  and  so  the  grammarians  think  they  have  their 
name  locustce,  locusts,  a  loco  usto  §*  vastato,  from  the 
place  which  they  burn  and  waste.  And  so,  this  people  of 
the  universities,  consumes  and  burns  up  all  the  green 
pasture  of  Christ,  that  is  the  fruit  of  faith. 

*dnd  power  was  given  to  them,  as  the  scorpions  of  the 
earth  have  power  ;  to  wit,  to  wound  the  conscience  of 
men,  because  the  green  fruit  of  faith  being  wasted,  which 
heals  the  consciences  of  men,  it  cannot  be,  but  the  con- 
science must  be  hurt  and  prejudiced. 
VERSE  4. 

And  it  was  commanded  them,  that  they  should  not  hurt 
the  grass  of  the  earth,  nor  any  green  thing  ;  that  is,  that 
they  should  not  hurt  the  elect.  For  they  do  not  hurt  all, 
neither  do  the  natural  locusts  hurt  every  green  thing,  but 
some  certain  place  :  so  it  is  here. 

But  only  those  men  who  have  not  the  mark  or  seal  of 
God  in  their  forelieads  ;  that  is,  some  grass  they  should 
hurt,  to  wit,  those  who  have  not  faith,  which  is  the  mark 
of  God,  which  we  carry  in  a  pure  conscience,  and  free 
conversation. 

And  it  ivas  commanded  them,  that  they  should  not  kill 


576  LUTHER'S  TESTIMONY, 

iliem,  hut  only  should  tor^ment  them  jive  months.  This  seems 
to  be  spoken  of  moral  doctrine,  which,  seeing  it  teaches 
IIS  the  knowledge  of  sin,  like  the  law  of  God,  it  doth  not 
kill,  but  only  afflict  a  man  with  vain  studies,  wherein  he 
is  always  learning,  and  yet  never  comes  to  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth  :  For  they  who  are  killed  with  the  let- 
ter, are  quickened  with  the  eternal  Spirit,  they  are  not 
tormented  five  months,  that  is,  the  whole  time  of  their 
sensual  life,  in  which  moral  divines  reign.  And  we  see 
]}y  experience,  that  all  moral  virtues  are  of  a  most  evil 
and  unhappy  conscience,  full  of  scruples  and  unquiet- 
iiess,  and  have  power,  neither  of  good  nor  evil :  and 
therefore  ''.follows  ; 

And  their ^,orment  is,  astlietorment  of  a  scorpion ^  when 
it  striJces  a  man.  Behold  here  a  wounded  conscience  :  for 
here  lie  expounds  what  he  had  said  before,  that  they  are 
not  savingly  killed,  nor  spiritually  quickened. 

VERSE  6. 

JLnd  in  those  days  men  shall  seek  death,  and  shall  not 
find  it ;  and  shall  desire  to  die,  and  death  shall  flee  from 
them :  To  wit,  the  death  of  sin,  which  doth  too  much  live  in 
the  conscience,  and  yet  is  not  rightly  known ;  for  if  it  were 
known,  presently,  it  being  slain,  would  perish  :  But  this 
cannot  Aristotle's  ethics  do,  but  it  is  the  office  of  the  let- 
ter, and  the  Spirit. 

VERSE  7. 

Andthe  shapes  of  the  locusts  were  liketo  horses  prepar- 
ed to  battle,  to  wit,  of  scholastical  disputation  and  conflict. 
He  describes  the  war  by  this  allegory  ;  for  they  are  ready 
to  argue  pro  ^  contra,  as  thej'^  speak.  And  on  their  heads 
were,  as  it  were,  crowns  of  gold :  that  is,  the  names  and 
titles  of  degrees,  as,  magister  noster  eximius :  sacrm  the- 
ologian humilis  8^  indignus  professor,  ^c.  that  is,  "  our 
famous  master:  and  the  humble  and  unworthy  professor  of 
sacred  theology.''  and  the  like.  And  tiiese  crowned  ones, 


TOUCHING  UNIVERSITIES.  577 

John  Huscti\\e,(\hyj)ocrUascoronatos,  crowned  liypocrites: 
and  by  reason  of  these  crowns,  tliey  have  authority  and 
power  among  the  multitudes  of  carnal  christians,  who  are 
"willing  to  entertain  antichrist's  pomp  into  antichrist's 
church.  Yet  have  they  not  true  crowns,  but  as  it  were 
crowns  of  gold,  which  yet  they  are  very  proud  of,  and 
are  much  puffed  up  with  them,  though  usually  they  are 
set  on  the  head  of  ignorance  and  error*. 
VERSE  8. 

And  their  faces  are  like  the  faces  of  men,  because  their 
doctrine  and  life  is  governed,  not  by  the  Spirit  of  faith, 
but  by  the  dictate  of  natural  reason,  and  by  the  light  of 
nature,  illuminated  by  Aristotle, 

And  they  had  hair  like  the  hair  of  women.  For  philo- 
sophy brings  forth  effeminate  ministers,  given  to  ease 
and  luxury;  and  in  whom  is  nothing  of  spirit,  nor  of 
manly  abilities  in  Christ.  For  the  hairs  are  priests,  as 
you  may  see.  Psalm  Ixviii.  Isaiah  iii.  and  in  other 
places. 

And  their  teeth  are  like  the  teeth  of  lions :  Consider 
only  the  Thomists  instead  of  all  other  divines,  whether 
they  be  not  biting,  slanderous,  and  devourers  of  all  that 
speak  a  word  against  Aristotle^s  divinity.  Yea,  the  Tho- 
mists, Scotists,  and  modern  men,  bite  one  another  among 
themselves,  and  sharpen  against  one  another,  not  common 
teeth,  but  the  teeth  of  lions ;  neither  is  there  any  sort  of 
men  which  war  more  fiercely,  or  with  greater  hatred, 
than  those  sects  of  divines ;  each  of  which  desires  to  de- 
vour the  other,  that  it  may  reign  alone. 

•  Prscparatis  In  praelium,  &  armatis  omni  genere  doctrine,  &  arte  loquendi, 
arguendi,  respondendi  exhortandi :  potentes  sunt  ad  invadendum  &  detenden- 
dum  quamcunque  velint  veritatem,  aut  speciem  veritatis,  armati  nihil  ominus 
omni  apparentia  faceti?c  8i  honestatis.  J.  Hue. 

Et  super  capita  eorum  coronse  :  id  est,  Tituli  magistrales,  vel  digitatum  8: 
graduum  in  ecclesia,  investitura.  J.  Hus. 


578  LUTHER'S  TESTIMONY, 

VERSE  9. 

^nd  they  have  breast -jjlates,  as  iticere  breast -plates  of 
iron;  and  this  is  the  pertinacious  and  confident  presump- 
tion of  each  sect,  on  the  truth  and  soundness  of  his  opi- 
nion :  and  by  these  iron  breast-plates  they  are  uncon- 
querable :  and  these  are  the  principles  of  each  sect. 

tdnd  the  sound  of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  cha- 
riots, and  of  many  horses  running  to  battle :  the  wings 
are  the  words  of  those  that  dispute  and  conflict,  by  which 
they  do  impetuously,  brawliugly  and  clamourously,  rush 
on  one  another,  and  fight :  as  we  see  in  the  tumults  of 
disputants,  both  by  words  and  writings,  where  neither 
yields  to  neither,  but  each  one  is  unconquerable.  For 
he  signifies  this  pertinacious  affection  of  disputing,  by  the 
rushing  of  chariots  and  horsemen. 

VERSE  10. 

*B.nd  they  had  tails  like  unto  scorpions,  and  there  were 
stings  in  their  tails,  and  their  power  was  to  hurt  men 
five  months.  Here  he  explains  what  before  he  had  pro- 
pounded, to  wit,  that  the  fruit  and  end  of  this  divinity,  is 
nothing  but  evil  consciences,  during  all  the  time  of  the 
sensual  lives  of  men.  For  that  divinity  is  an  abomina- 
tion to  those  who  are  spiritual,  because  these  are  without 
the  bounds  of  the  five  months,  in  the  spirit  of  liberty, 

VERSE  11. 

And  they  had  a  king  over  them,  which  is  the  angel  of 
the  bottomless  pit,  ivhose  name  in  Hebreiv  is  Maddon^ 
and  in  Greek  Apollyon.  Here  we  may  learn,  that  the 
Rector  general  of  all  universities,  is  not  Christ,  nor  the 
holy  Spirit,  nor  any  angel  of  God,  but  an  angel  of  the 
bottomless  pit ;  that  is,  one  that  is  dead,  and  is  among 
the  dead  and  damned.  Who  is  it  then?  even  that  light 
of  nature,  to  wit,  Aristotle,  who  doth  truly  reign  in  the 
universities^  as  Abaddon^  and  Apollyon^  that  is^  <^a  was 


TOUCHING  UNIVERSITIES.  579 

ter  and  destroyer  of  the  church."  For  we  have  said, 
that  an  angel  signifies  a  teacher  or  a  doctor  in  the  church. 
And  certain  it  is,  that  ^Aristotle,  who  is  dead  and  damn- 
ed, is  at  this  day,  the  great  doctor  of  the  universities, 
rather  than  Christ  ;  for  he  reigns  alone,  being  exalted  by 
the  authority  and  study  of  Thomas,  reviving  free-will, 
and  teaching  moral  virtues,  and  natural  piiilosophy,  to 
wit,  the  three-headed  Cerberus,  or  three  bodied  Gerion. 

Behold  the  first  wo  which  the  church  hath  from  the 
Romish  antichrist,  by  the  ministry  of  saint  TJiomas  ;  and 
they  whose  duty  it  was,  chiefly  to  have  prohibited  and 
extinguished  these  things,  they  chiefly  have  erected  and 
established  them. 

Thus  Luther,  word  for  word,  in  the  forenamed  place. 
He  also,  in  his  book  de  abroganda  missa  jjvivata,  speak- 
ing of  the  idol  Moloch,  saith  thus  : 

Moses  and  Jeremy  have  described  the  worship  of  this 
idol,  to  be  after  this  manner,  that  they  did  burn,  or  offer 
to  him  their  children  in  the  fire,  supposing  that  hereby 
they^id  perform  the  greatest  and  highest  service  to  God ; 
inasmuch  as,  after  the  example  of  Abraham,  they  do  not 
spare  their  own  children ;  though  they  do  this,  not  only 
not  being  called  as  Abraham  was,  but  also  witliout  faith, 
and  in  the  highest  wickedness  ;  and  therefore  the  Psalm- 
ist testifies.  Psalm  Ixxviii.  That  they  offered  not  their 
children  to  God,  but  to  devils.  For  whatsoever  is  not 
done  by  the  call  and  command  of  God,  is  not  done  to 
God,  but  to  devils,  who  suggest  this,  though  it  be  done 
under  pretence  of  the  name  of  God. 

Now  hereby,  saith  he,  I  conceive  the  universities  to  be 
represented,  in  which,  the  best  and  choicest  part  of 
christian  youth  is  offered,  as  it  were  in  burnt-sacrifice  to 
God,  that  there  they  may  be  instructed,  and  be  made,  as 
it  were,  wholly  divine.  For  the  common  people  believe 
there  is  no  place   under  heaven,  in  which  youth  can  be 


080  LUTHER'S  TESTIMONY, 

better  instructed,  so  that  even  religious  people  have  re» 
course  hither.  For  to  learn  any  thing  out  of  the  univer- 
sity, is  to  learn  nothing  :  but  to  have  studied  in  the  uni- 
versity, is  to  know  all  things.  There  all  divine  and  hu- 
man things  are  believed  to  be  taught :  for  no  man  sends 
his  son  hither,  with  any  other  opinion  than  this,  that  he 
can  no  where  be  better  sent.  They  think  they  perform 
the  highest  service  to  God,  that  they  offer  their  sons  to 
be  formed  according  to  the  instruction  of  godliness,  that 
thereby  they  may  become  profitable  and  useful  ministers, 
preachers,  governors,  who  may  wholly  become  God's 
own  portion,  and  be  useful,  both  to  God  and  men. 

And  hereto  appertains  the  name  .Moloch,  which  signi- 
fies a  king,  or  kingly,  because  this  kind  of  study  doth 
honour  them  with  degrees  and  promotions,  and  renders 
them  fit  and  able  to  govern  others.  For  we  see,  that  all 
that  are  preferred  to  governments,  are  taken  out  of  uni- 
versities :  and  he  that  is  not  a  graduate,  or  member  of  an 
university,  is  not  qualified  for  preferment,  or  to  be  set 
over  any  people  :  but  let  the  ass  first  be  crowned,  to  wit, 
with  a  degree,  and  then  let  him  reign. 

And  parents  do  not  see,  and  they  that  do  see,  do  not 
regard,  that  youth  are  usually  here  destroyed,  through 
rude  and  vile  manners,  none  commonly  forbidding'them. 
Yea,  fornication,  luxury,  and  other  manifest  sins,  do  but 
mildly  destroy  tliem  :  but  that  they  are  indued  and  pos- 
sessed with  philosophical,  heathenish,  human,  wicked, 
and  impious  opinions  ;  this  is  the  fire  of  Moloch,  which 
no  tears  can  sufficiently  bewail ;  seeing  through  this  they 
especially  are  devoured  and  perish,  who  are  the  most 
studious  and  modest  youth  in  universities.  So  great  is 
the  fury  of  God  upon  this  valley  of  Tophet  and  Hiniiom^ 
that  they  perish  more  grievously  who  learn  most,  and 
live  modestly,  than  they  who  learn  nothing,  and  are  cor- 
rupted with  lusts.  For  these  learn  nothing  which  is  to  be 


TOUCHING  UNIVERSITIES.  581 

unlearned  again,  seeing  they  know  they  do  evil ;  where- 
as the  other  suck  in  poison,  which  happily,  or  never, 
they  do  vomit  up  again,  holding  that  for  good,  which  is 
evil,  and  instructing  those  with  the  like  opinions,  whom 
they  take  to  teach. 

And  to  these  pits  of  hell  it  is  to  be  imputed,  that  the 
sun  of  the  gospel  is  obscured  with  the  smoke  of  the  pit : 
for  out  of  this  smoke  proceed  those  locusts,  which  pos- 
sess all  chairs,  and  pulpits,  and  administer  all  govern- 
ments ;  that  Satan,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
could  devise  nothing  in  all  the  world,  more  strong  and  per- 
nicious to  waste  faith  and  the  gospel,  than  universities. 
Neither  was  it  meet  that  this  evil  should  arise,  but  in  the 
end  of  the  world,  when  the  world,  through  the  prevailing 
of  sin,  being  loadeu  with  the  wrath  of  God,  should  draw 
near  to  hell  and  damnation.  For  the  miserable  people 
must  needs  hear  those  things  taught,  and  delivered  out 
of  the  pulpits,  which  those  Molochites  have  learned  in 
the  universities.  And  they  have  learned  nothing  but  the 
highest  blasphemies  of  God.  Neither  is  it  lawful  to  have 
any  where,  any  other  pastor  than  these*. 

In  Jeremiahf  that  valley  is  called  GeJiinnorrif  from 
whence  Christ  took  that  word  Gehenna,  which,  what  it 
signifies,!  do  not  well  know  :  but  it  seems  to  me  to  come 
from  Janah,  which  signifies  to  eat  up,  or  to  pill,  or  waste; 
as  tyrants  or  usurers,  do  pill  and  suck  out  the  people  : 
so  that  Gehinnom  is  the  valley  of  pilling  or  wasting  the 
people.  For  these  being  set  over  the  people  as  shepherds, 
ought  to  feed  them  with  the  word  of  life  ;  and  they,  in- 
stead thereof,  do  insensibly  waste  and  devour  them,  in 
their  body,  goods,  and  soul,  with  the  pestilent  doctrines 
of  universities.  And  such  teachers  do  the  universities, 
those  synagogues  of  perdition,  give  us.  Thus  Luther, 

•  Ut  academiis,  ab  initio  mundi,  Satanas  nihil  excogitaret  presentius,  ad 
vastandum  fidem  &  evangelium,  toto  orbe. 


583  LUTHER'S  TESTIMONY, 

These  now  are  Luthev's  owu  words,  which  I  have 
made  legible  to  Englishmen.  Wherein  it  is  mauilest 
that  he  condemns  the  uuivcrsities  in  the  very  institution 
and  constitution  of  them,  and  chiefly  in  their  chief  stu- 
dies, human  learning,  and  school-divinity;  and  also,  as 
to  that  gross  popish  opinion,  that  they  are  the  fountain 
and  nurseries  of  the  ministry  ;  and  that  none  are  fU  to 
teach,  or  so  fit  to  teach,  as  those  tliat  have  been  educated 
in  them.  Yea,  though  these  be  raw,  foolish,  ignorant  fel- 
lows, yet  being  university  graduates,  must  they  be  set 
over  towns,  and  parishes ;  and  the  miserable  people  must 
not  only  hear  them  and  their  doltish  doctrine,  brought 
from  the  universities,  but  also  must  be  constrained,  by 
secular  power  and  laws,  to  pay  them  well  for  such  pains, 
which  tends  only  to  the  ruin  of  their  souls  for  ever  :  And 
no  hand  is  yet  strongly  and  resolutely  stretched  out,  to 
deliver  the  people  from  this  intolerable  bondage.  For  the 
necks  of  the  people  of  the  world  have  never  endured  so 
grievous  a  yoke  from  any  tyrants,  as  from  the  doctrine 
and  domination  of  the  clergy.  For  worldly  tyrants  have 
only  afflicted  mens  bodies  and  temporal  estates,  which 
reacheth  but  to  this  short  life  :  But  these  spiritual  ty- 
rants, the  clergy  or  false  ministry,  when  they  have  got 
countenance,  strength,  and  aid  from  the  worldly  magis- 
trates, how  have  they,  with  their  academical,  philosophi- 
cal, heathenish  divinity,  infected,  poisoned,  and  destroy- 
ed the  people  to  eternal  death,  and  nobody  durst  shun 
them ;  upon  pain  of  temporal  death,  or  punishments  ! 
But  now,  through  the  great  goodness  of  God,  and  his 
mighty  providences  and  works  from  heaven,  it  is  a  more 
happy  age  ;  and  happy  shall  they  be,  who,  being  called 
forth,  shall  do  the  work  of  God  against  all  discourage- 
ments and  difficulties,  and  shall  not,  with  Ephraim,  be- 
ing harnessed,  turn  their  backs  in  the  day  of  battle. 
And  now.  to  return  to  our  business  again,  touching  the 


TOUCHING  UNIVERSITIES.  f)83 

imiversities,  let  none  object  that  lAither  speaks  against 
popish  universities  only  ;  for  this  is  but  a  weak  and  sim- 
ple defence,  and  altogether  unable  to  ward  off  the  mighty 
blow  of  God's  word  from  their  heads  and  hearts.  For 
the  things  condemned  in  the  foregoing  testimonies  of  Zw- 
ther,  are  the  self  same,  for  the  substance  of  them,  as  do 
live,  prevail,  and  flourish  in  our  present  universities,  as 
hath  been  before  declared  ;  and  I  leave  it  to  every  faith- 
ful christian  to  judge  the  truth  in  this  matter.  But  men 
would  fain  preserve  their  titles,  degrees,  authority,  dig- 
nity, state,  stipends,  and  therefore,  for  fhe  defence  of 
these  things,  they  must  needs  say  something,  though  it 
be  to  never  so  little  purpose  :  But  yet,  by  such  discourse, 
they  sufficiently  declare  liow  cool  and  icy  they  are  for 
Christ's  interest,  and  how  zealous  for  their  own. 

.But  certain  it  is,  that  as  tiie  universities  were  set  up  at 
first,  as  nurseries  for  antichrist's  kingdom,  men  being 
therein  so  educated,  according  to  the  undertaking  of 
Charles  the  great,  in  philosopliy  and  school -divinity, 
that  it  might  be  said  to  them,  vos  estis  sal  terrain  et  lux 
mundif  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  the  light  of  the 
world,^'  (which  yet  only  agrees  to  the  faithful,  who  are 
born  of  God  :)  so  have  they  still  remained  the  same 
hitherto  in  substance,  though  not  v^^ithout  some  small 
change  of  outward  form. 

2.  For  first,  the  philosophy  taught  and  studied  in  the 
university,  is  the  very  same  that  it  was  at  first ;  and  this 
philosophy  is  nothing  but  the  religion  of  the  heathen. 
For  what  the  law  was  to  the  Jews,  and  the  gospel  is  to 
the  christians,  philosophy  was,  and  is  to  the  heathen  ; 
and  in  this  study,  the  poor  lads  waste  the  flower  and 
cream  of  their  lives  to  no  purpose,  but  to  make  them 
more  heathenish,  corrupt,  and  bold  in  evil,  than  they 
were  by  nature.  And, 

For  their  divinity,  which  they  usually  learn  in  the 
universities,  out  of  (he  fathers,  schoolmen,  and  systems  ; 


084  LUTHER'S  TESTIMONY, 

and  in  which  they  are  trained  up,  to  dispute  either  for  it^ 
or  against  it,  in  the  scliools  (it  being  in  seriousness,  all 
one  to  them,  what  they  hold  and  maintain  in  religion, 
seeing  all  is  but  opinion  to  them  ;)  and  which  they  after 
teach  to  the  people,  with  special  regard  to  their  own  pro- 
fit and  advantage,  this  is  not  the  true  word,  and  ministry 
of  the  gospel.  For  the  gospel  is  the  word  of  faith ;  which 
word,  is  the  word  in  our  hearts,  according  to  the  tenor 
of  the  new  covenant,  wherein  God  saitli,  1  will  write  my 
law  in  their  hearts^  and  put  it  in  their  inward  parts :  But 
now  the  university  divines,  the  truth  being  indeed  deacMn 
their  hearts,  and  having  no  presence  nor  power  there,  they 
take  it  up  out  of  the  books  and  writings  of  men,  wherein 
it  hath  been  buried  ;  aud  by  this  means,  bring  forth  a 
dead  doctrine  to  the  world  (which  other  men  have  spo- 
ken, but  themselves  have  no  experience  of)  and  not  the 
word  of  life,  which  hath  quickened  them ;  but  only  a 
dead  letter,  raised  up  like  the  living  letter,  which  they 
present  to  them  ;  as  the  witch  of  Endor  raised  up  a  dead 
Samuel f  in  the  outward  habit  and  appearance  of  the  liv- 
ing Samuel,  and  presented  him  to  Saul :  So  these  uni- 
versity divines,  bring  forth  the  outward  garment  and  ap- 
pearance of  the  truth  to  the  people,  when  they  do  best ; 
but  the  substance,  soul,  and  life  of  the  truth,  they  cannot 
bring  forth ;  because  they  have  not  the  living  word  of 
God  in  their  hearts,  but  have  only  a  dead  word,  which 
they  gather  out  of  the  books  and  writings  of  men.  And 
this  is  the  university  divinity. 

And  lastly,  The  preachers,  which  the  universities 
send  forth,  are  usually  in  the  greatest  enmity  to  Christ 
and  his  gospel,  of  all  other  men  whatsoever,  and  do  bring 
greatest  prejudice  to  Christ's  kingdom,  and  greatest  ad- 
vantage to  antichrist's.  For  when  men  without  learning, 
and  yet  without  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  will  undertake  to 
teach  the  people,  as  many  also  now  do,  their  ignorance 
is  manifest  to  all,  and  is  judged  of  all,  and  they,  through 


TOUCHING  UNIVERSITIES.  585 

their  rudeness,  can  never  long  deceive  the  world ;  but 
now,  when  men  are  as  destitute  of  the  Spirit  as  they,  and 
yet  Iiave  human  learning,  and  the  letter  oT  the  word  in  a 
philosophical  sense,  to  help  theiii^this  is  that,  that  ex- 
ceedin2;ly  endangers  and  deceives^e  w  orld  ;  the  people 
supposing  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  according  to  philo- 
sophical learning,  to  be  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit, 
and  to  be  sutliciently  enough  to  instruct  the  church.  And 
so  antichrist's  Iciugdom  is  set  up  with  credit  and  renown, 
by  these  :  Whereas  the  ignorant  teachers,  who  are  des- 
titute of  the  Spirit,  are  able  to  do  him  no  considerable 
service.  But  Christ  will  not  have  the  learned  men  to  be 
teachers  in  his  church,  through  their  learning ;  and  as 
little  will  he  have  ignorant  men  to  teach  in  his  church, 
because  of  their  ignorance  ;  but  whether  men  be  learned 
or  ignorant,  according  to  the  world,  it  is  no  matter  in 
Christ's  church,  where  each  man  is  to  speak  in  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  which  makes  both  the  ignorant  and  the  learn- 
ed, alike  wise  in  Christ :  And  so  the  learned  man  be- 
comes ignorant  in  the  church,  to  be  learned  in  Christ ; 
and  the  ignorant  man,  without  worldly  learning,  forth- 
with becomes  wise  in  Christ ;  and  the  learned  and  the 
ignorant  meet  together,  only  in  the  wisdom  of  Christ, 
♦which  is  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  swallows  up  at  once, 
all  the  l^rning  and  ignorance  of  the  world  alike,  and 
will  have  all  wise  alone  in  itself. 

Wherefore,  all  universities  being  left  and  forsaken  as 
fo  this  matter,  let  learned  and  ignorant  men  come  alike 
to  Christ,  to  be  made  wise  in  him,  who  is  made  unto  us 
of  God,  our  ofilv  wisdom. 


4  K 


S86 


At 

<^       THE 


RIGHT  REFORMATION  OF 

LEARNING, 

SCHOOLS  AND  UNIVERSITIES, 

According  to  the  State  of  the  Gospel j  and  the  true  Light 
that  shines  therein. 

THOUGH  I  do  not  pretend  to  that  wisdom  which 
might  direct  the  world,  farther  than  the  word  of  God  is 
with  me,  yet  shall  I  be  bold,  as  one  who  desires  to  be 
faithful  to  Christ,  and  profitable  to  his  true  church,  to 
offer  my  apprehensions  and  advice  to  the  called,  chosen, 
and  faithful  ones  of  Christ,  that  either  now  are,  or  here- 
after may  be,  in  authority  in  these  nations,  touching  the 
instructing  youth,  and  ordering  schools. 

1.  First  therefore,  as  to  this  matter,  I  do  jut^e,  there  * 
neither  is,  nor  can  be  any  greater  evil,  than  to  bring  up 
children  in  ease  and  idleness,  and  to  suffer  them  to  live 
freely  and  without  controul,  according  to  those  natural 
lusts  aud  corruptions  which  they  bring  along  with  them 
into  the  world,  which  do  soon  wonderfully  improve, 
through  such  a  careless  aud  unnurtured  life.  And  such 
children  and  youth  usually  become  an  early  prey  to  the  - 
devil,  who  readily  fills  them  with  all  the  ungodliness  and 
unrighteousness  of  the  heathen. 

2.  I  conceive  it  meet,  ihai  the  civil  power,  or  chief 
magistrates,  should  take  ^reat  care  of  the  education  of 


OF  LEARNING,  SCHOOLS,  &c.  587 

3'outh,  as  of  one  of  the  greatest  works  that  concerns  them, 
and  as  one  of  the  worthiest  things  they  can  do  in  the 
world  :  inasmuch  as  what  the  youtli  now  is,  the  whole 
commonwealth  will  shortly  be. 

3.  To  this  end,  it  is  meet  that  schoeris,  if  wanting,  be 
erected  throughout  the  whole  nation,  and  that  not  only  in 
cities  and  great  towns,  but  also,  as  much  as  may  be,  in 
all  smaller  villages  :  And  that  the  authority  of  the  nation 
take  great  care,  tliat  godly  men  especially  have  the  charge 
of  greater  schools  ;  and  also  that  no  women  be  permitted 
to  teach  little  children  in  villages,  but  such  as  are  the 
most  sober  and  grave  ;  and  that  the  magistrate  afford  to 
this  work  all  suitable  encouragement  and  assistance. 

4.  That  in  such  schools,  they  tirst  teach  them  to  read 
their  native  tongue,  which  they  speak  without  teaching ; 
and  then  presently,  as  they  understand,  bring  them  to 
read  the  holy  scriptures  ;  which,  though  for  the  pre- 
sent, they  understand  not,  yet  may  they,  through  the 
blessing  of  God,  come  to  understand  them  afterwards. 

5.  That  in  cities  and  greater  towns,  where  are  the 
greater  schools,  and  the  greater  opportunities  to  send 
children  to  them,  they  teach  them  also  the  Latin  and 
Greek  tongues,  and  the  Hebrew  also,  which  is  the  easiest 
of  them  all,  and  ought  to  be  in  great  account  with  us, 
for  the  Old  Testament's  sake.  And  it  is  most  heed  fully 
to  be  regarded,  that  in  teaching  youth  the  tongues,  to 
wit,  the  Greek  and ,  Latin,  such  heathenish  authors  be 
most  carefully  avoided,  be  their  language  never  so  good, 
whose  writings  are  full  of  the  fables,  vanities,  filthiness, 
lasciviousness,  idolatries,  and  wickedness  of  the  heathen. 
Seeing  usually,  whilst  youth  do  learn  the  language  of  the 
heathen,  they  also  learn  their  wickedness  in  that  lan- 
guage :  whereas,  it  were  far  better  for  them  to  want  their 
language,  than  to  be  possessed  with  their  wickedness. 
And  what  should  Christian  youth  have  to  do  with  the 


988  THE  RIGHT  REFORMATION 

heathenish  poets,  who  were,  for  tlie  most  part,  the  devirs 
prophets,  and  delivered  forth  their  writings  in  his  spirit; 
and  who,  through  the  smoothness,  quaintness,  and  sweet- 
ness of  their  hinguage,  do  insensibly  instil  the  poison  of 
lust  and  wickedness  into  the  liearts  of  youth ;  whereby 
their  education,  which  ought  to  correct  their  natural  cor- 
ruption, doth  exceedingly  increase  and  inflame  it? 

Wiierefore  my  counsel  is,  that  they  learn  the  Greek 
and  Latin  tongues  especially  from  Christians,  and  so 
without  the  lies,  fables,  follies,  vanities,  whoredoms,  lust^ 
pride,  rev(  nge,  kc.  of  the  heathens ;  especially,  seeing 
neither  their  words  nor  their  phrases  are  meet  for  Chris- 
tians to  take  into  their  mouths  :  and  most  necessary  it  is, 
that  Christians  sliould  forget  the  names  of  their  gods  and 
muses,  which  were  but  devils  and  damned  creatures,  and 
all  their  mythology  and  fabulous  inventions,  and  let 
them  all  go  to  Satan,  from  whence  they  came. 

6.  It  may  be  convenient  also,  that  there  may  be  some 
universities  or  colleges,  for  the  instructing  youth  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  liberal  arts,  beyond  grammar  and  rhe- 
toriek  ;  as  in  logic,  which,  as  it  is  in  divinity,  as  one  calls 
it,  gladius  diaholi,  the  devil's  sword,  so  in  human  things 
it  may  be  of  good  use,  if  reason  manage  that  art  of  rea- 
son :  but  the  matiiematics  especially  are  to  be  had  in 
good  esteem  in  universities  ;  as  arithmetic,  geometry, 
geography,  and  the  like  :  which,  as  they  carry  no  wick- 
edness in  them,  so  are  they  besides,  very  useful  to  human 
society,  and  the  affairs  of  this  present  life. 

There  may  be  also,  in  these  universities  or  colleges, 
allowed  the  studies  of  physic,  and  of  the  law,  according 
to  that  reformation,  which  a  wise  and  godly  authority 
will  caube  them  to  pass  under,  both  being  now  exceed- 
ingly corrupt  and  out  of  order,  both  for  practice  and  fees. 

7.  But  vvh}'  these  universities  or  colleges  should  be  only 
at  Cambridge  and  Oxford,  I  know  no  reason :  Nay,  if  hu- 


OF  LEARNING,  SCHOOLS,  8ic.  589 

man  learning  be  so  necessary  to  the  knowledge  and  teach- 
ing of  the  scriptures,  as  the  universities  pretend,  they 
surely  are  without  love  to  their  brethern,  who  would 
Lave  these  studies  thus  confined  to  these  places,  and  do 
swear  men  to  read  and  teach  them  no  where  else  :  cer- 
tainly it  is  most  manifest,  that  these  men  love  their  owa 
private  gain,  more  tlian  the  common  good  ot  the  people*. 
Seeing  they  say,  no- body  can  well  understand  or  teach 
the  scriptures  without  it ;  and  so,  by  reason  of  this  their 
incroachment,  against  the  rule  of  love,  through  the  former 
grants  of  popes  and  kings,  all  men  should  be  necessitated 
to  send  their  children  hitlier,  from  all  parts  of  the  nation, 
some  scores  or  hundreds  of  miles,  for  liberal  education, 
to  the  great  trouble  and  charge  of  parents  :  especially 
this  considered,  that  the  universities  usually  have  been 
places  of  great  licentiousness  and  profaueness  ;  whereby 
it  often  comes  to  pass,  that  parents,  sending  their  chil- 
dren far  from  them,  young  and  hojjeful,  have,  for  all 
their  care  and  cost,  after  several  years,  received  them 
back  again,  with  their  tongues  and  arts,  proud,  profane, 
wicked,  abominable,  and  incorrigible  wretches. 

Wherefore  doubtless  it  would  be  more  suitable,  and 
more  advantageous  to  the  good  of  all  the  people,  to  have 
universities  or  colleges,  one  at  least,  in  every  great  town 
or  city  in  the  nation,  as  in  London,  York,  Bristol,  Exeter, 
JV'oricich  and  the  like  ;  and  for  the  state  to  allow  to  these 
colleges,  an  honest  and  competent  maintenance,  for  some 
godly  and  learned  men  to  teach  the  tongues  and  arts, 
under  it  due  reformation.  iV.nd  this  the  state  may  the  bet- 
ter do,  by  provision  out  of  every  county,  or  otherwise,  as 
shall  be  judged  best,  seeing  then  there  will  be  no  such 

*  Jiiramentum  magistrorum  in  receptionibus  &  resumptionibus  solennibus. 
Jurent  etiam,  qviod  extra  istam  iiniversitatem,  nnsquam  alibiin  Anglia,  praeter- 
quam  (Jxonise,  in  aliqua  facilitate  incipieni,  aut  lectiones  suas  solenniter  resu- 
ment,  nee  consentient  quod  aliquis  alibiin  Anglia  iiKipiens,  hie  pro magistro in 
ilia  facaitate  habcatur. 


590  THE  RIGHT  REFORMATION 

need  of  endowment  of  scholarsliips;  inasmuch  as  the 
people  having  colleges  in  their  own  cities,  near  their  own 
houses,  may  maintain  their  children  at  home,  whilst  tliey 
learn  in  the  schools  ;  which  would  be  indeed  the  greatest 
advantage  to  learning  that  can  be  thought  of. 

8.  It  should  also  be  considered,  whether  it  be  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  God,  that  youth  should  spend  their 
time  only  in  reading  of  books,  whilst  tliey  are  well, 
strong,  active,  and  fit  for  business.  For  commonly,  it  so 
falls  out,  that  youth  lose  as  much  by  idleness,  as  they 
gain  by  study.  i\nd  they  being  only  brought  up  to  read 
books,  and  such  books  as  only  contain  wrangling,  jan- 
gling, foolish  and  unprofitable  philosoph;^,  when  they  have 
continued  any  long  time  in  the  university,  in  these  un- 
warranted courses  by  God,  they  are  commonly,  in  the 
end,  fit  for  no  worthy  employment,  either  in  the  world, 
or  among  the  faithful. 

To  remedy  which  great  evil,  colleges  being,  as  hath 
been  spoken,  dispersed  through  the  great  cities  and  towns 
of  the  commonwealth,  it  may  be  so  ordered,  that  the 
youth  (according  to  Luther's  counsel*)  may  spend  some 
part  of  the  day  in  learning  or  study,  and  the  other  part 
of  the  day  in  some  lawful  calling ;  or  one  day  in  study, 
and  another  in  business,  as  necessity  or  occasion  shall 
require. 

And  thus  shall  youth  be  delivered  from  that  ease  and 
idleness,  whicli  fills  the  hearts  of  university  students 
with  many  corruptions,  and  roisome  lusts,  whilst  they 
fill  their  heads  only  with  empiy  knowledge  and  foolish 
notions  ;  whereby,  neither  can  God  be  glorified,  nor  their 
neighbour  profited. 

9.  And  if  this  course  were  taken  in  the  disposing  and 
ordering  colleges,  and  studies,  it  would  come  to  pass  that 
twenty  would  learn   then,  where    one  learns  now  ,  and 

*  Luther  Libel,  de  iustituend.  pueris.* 


OF  LEARNING,  SCHOOLS,  &c.  59 1 

also  by  degrees,  many  men,  on  whom  God  shall  please 
to  pour  fortli  his  Spirit,  may  grow  up  to  teach  the  peo- 
ple, whilst  yet  they  live  in  an  honestcalling  and  employ- 
ment, as  the  Apostles  did.  And  this  would  give  them 
great  efficacy  and  power  in  teaching,  whilst  they  lived 
by  faith,  through  their  honest  labour,  and  were  delivered 
from  the  mischief  of  idleness  :  But  and  if  the  faithful  shall 
desire  any  one  that  is  more  apt  to  teach,  and  hath  receiv- 
ed a  greater  measure  of  the  anointing  than  his  brethren, 
to  spend  more  of  his  time  in  the  word  and  prayer  than 
his  calling  will  afford,  at  such  times  they  ought  to  supply 
him  :  and  the  law  of  love  in  the  hearts  of  the  faithful, 
will  be  law  enough  in  this  matter,  without  calling  in  the 
aid  of  the  magistrate. 

And  by  this  means,  may  the  chargeable  and  burden- 
some maintenance  of  the  carnal  clergy,  by  degrees  be 
taken  away,  and  the  church  of  Christ,  and  the  very  na- 
tions themselves,  be  supplied  with  a  more  faithful,  chris- 
tian, and  spiritual  ministry  than  now  it  hath,  at  a  far  less 
rate.  For  God  hath  promised,  in  the  last  days  to  pour 
out  his  Spirit  on  alljlpsh,  and  the  sons,  and  daughters, 
and  servants,  and  handmaids,  shall  prophesy,  and  then 
shall  knowledge  cover  the  earth,  as  icaiers  the  seas. 

Now  for  conclusion  :  I  do  conceive,  that  none  of  the 
faithful  and  wise  have  any  just  cause  to  be  offended,  for 
speaking  for  the  use  of  human  learning  in  this  reformed 
way,  which  the  gospel  will  permit ;  seeing  by  this  means, 
these  two  errors  of  antichrist  would  be  dissolved  among 
us  ;  the  one  of  making  universities  the  fountains  of  the 
ministry ;  which  one  thing  is,  and  Avill  be  more  and 
more,  (as  Christ's  kingdom  shall  rise  up  and  prevail  in 
the  world)  a  mill-stone  about  their  necks  :  and  the  other, 
of  making  the  clergy  a  distinct  sect  or  order,  or  tribe, 
from  other  Christians,  contrary  to  the  simplicity  of  the 
gospel.  » 


592  THE  RIGHT  REFORMATION,  &c. 

S.  Let  the  faithful  consider  that  this  reformed  use  of 
tongues  and  arts,  justly  hath  its  place  in  the  world, 
whereby  men  may  be  improved  in  the  use  of  reason,  and 
sober  learning,  and  may  be  serviceable  to  tlie  common- 
wealth in  their  age,  m  hilst  the  church  of  Christ  hath  its 
own  members  and  officers,  through  the  call  of  God,*and 
unction  of  his  Spirit  only.  For  human  learning  hath  its 
place  and  use  among  human  things,  but  hath  no  place 
nor  use  in  Christ's  kingdom,  as  hath  been  sufficiently 
proved. 

And  thus  have  I  freely  offered  my  advice  for  mending 
things  that  are  amiss,  and  making  straight  the  things  that 
are  crooked  in  this  matter. 


FiJ>ris. 


'A      %   ^. 


^ 


